


A Taste of Heaven

by Sweaty_dogman



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alana Bloom - Freeform, Beverly Katz - Freeform, Bottom Will Graham, Caring Hannibal Lecter, Domestic Fluff, Domestic Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter, Hannibal Lecter Loves Will Graham, Hannibal Lecter is a Cannibal, Hannibal Lecter is the Chesapeake Ripper, Happy Ending, Happy Murder Family, Jack Crawford Being Jack Crawford, Jimmy Price - Freeform, M/M, One Big Happy Family, Single Parents, Wedding Fluff, Will Graham - Freeform, Will Graham Has a Nice Day, Will Graham Loves Hannibal Lecter, Will Graham is a Cannibal, Will Graham is a dad, Will quits the FBI, doggie hotel, domestic murder husbands, single dad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-17 10:49:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 38,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28723866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sweaty_dogman/pseuds/Sweaty_dogman
Summary: Single dad Will Graham plans a trip to Italy with his daughter, five-year-old Abigail.The first few days are normal until Abigail gets herself into some mischief and runs into a strange man, instantly making Wills brain mush.Will wasn’t expecting to do anything other than spend time with his little girl on their trip, so when this strange man takes an interest, Will finds himself stumbling.
Relationships: Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 37
Kudos: 286





	1. The Primavera

Bright, sterile lights flooded each corner of Wills vision, inducing momentary blindness. The smell of cleaning products and bedpans driving nauseousness into the pit of his stomach. He hated it here. Watching his partner scream and cry, all he could do was hold her hand and brush the damp hair from her face. Soon, her screaming would halt and, replaced with the victorious cries of a newborn child. His child. His little girl. Abigail. He would hold her in his trembling arms, watching as the doctors fought fruitlessly to save his fiancés life. She would slip away, the agony of childbirth washing from her dying features.  
Burying his partner almost a week after Abigail was born was torturous, sticking to his dreams like glue. Thankful his darling daughter was none the wiser. 

Will woke up with a soft gasp, his shirt clinging to damp skin, suffocating him. It took a minute for him to come back into reality, but as soon as he looked over and saw that crib, everything went away.  
There she was, sleeping in her little pink crib (which Will had proudly made himself, even managing to paint deers on it), with loose curls splay out on the mattress. Abigail was so beautiful, her face the perfect image of innocence and beauty, his little angel. He brushed her dark, chestnut hair away, smiling when she cooed in her sleep. Watching her sleep took away all of his unease, the horrific memories filing themselves into the back drawer of his mind. 

Abigail was everything to Will, his life support, giving him courage even on his worst days when Jack and the FBI wore too heavy on him. Picking her up from daycare was the best part of his day, her excited squeals making him melt.  
Will never had much money once the bills were paid, groceries bought and Abigail had everything she needed, he wasn't left with much for himself. That was okay though, he was a simple man with simple needs. But for a long time now, he had wanted to show Abigail some of the more beautiful things the world has to offer, take her away from Wolftrap to somewhere warm. 

It delighted Will when he had finally saved enough money to take him and Abigail away to Italy, just in time for her fifth birthday. Although Abigail was only now starting to form coherent sentences and walking independently, a trip to Italy would be something neither of them would forget. Will would certainly take photos whenever he could. He booked time off work, much to Jack's annoyance, hurrying to set his plan into action. The profiler was slightly worried that his sweet pea wouldn't like flying and would kick up a fuss on the plane, but she was a perfect little thing. 

Will boarded the plane, carrying Abigail in one arm with his carry- on in the other, taking his seat. Not to his surprise, the little girl slept in his arms for almost the whole flight, waking only once to demand a bottle of juice. Will couldn't deny her. 

It was nighttime when they arrived at their hotel. Florence was beautiful, even in the thick blanket of dark, lights illuminating the almost empty streets.  
He put Abigail into her crib, humming softly to her to ease her spur of restlessness. The room was pretty, a large bed with a classic-looking crib next to it, sheer curtains draped across the french doors that lead to the balcony - it was cheap but beautiful.  
Will stood on the balcony in his underwear and towel robe, sipping on a couple of fingers of whisky, drinking in the beautiful sights before he felt tiredness pull him to the bed.  
Sleep came easy to him that night, the weight of the flight knocking him out almost as soon as his dark curls hit the pillow. 

The first few days of their time away was spelt milling around the hotel and a local park, getting his dear girl used to the difference in schedules. She accepted the change quite quickly, far too busy exploring somewhere that wasn't laden in snow. Will made sure to take his disposable camera everywhere, taking some on his phone to upload on Facebook when he had the chance. He loved showing off his little girl, she made him so happy.

On their third day, Abigails fifth birthday. Will decided to take her to the Uffizi Gallery in hopes that his sweet would enjoy all the bright colours and fun looking textures of the art.  
He held the girl on his hip for a while, carrying her around to make sure she wouldn't try and touch the displayed art.  
It was so beautiful, all the delicate paintings of past lives and sweet romances, they made the profiler forget everything he had temporarily left back home. Truly living in the moment.  
Soon, Abigail demanded that she be put down, kicking up a fuss about 'big girls being able to walk', bringing a chuckle from Will.  
"Okay, sweet pea, hold Papas hand though, okay?" He extended his hand, small fingers instantly wrapping around his pointer finger, a cheeky smile pressed to her cherubic face. Will often saw her mother in Abigail's eyes and for a moment he would sadden, but that would dissipate when he caught a look of her smile once again.  
He missed her, it was hard being a single dad but Will wouldn't ever think of giving it up. Not when he had gotten so used to it. 

Will loved being a dad. He loved making her little dresses, learning to bake with her, reading to her nightly, and now she was getting older. She was only five, but Will feared so deeply that one day he would blink and his little girl would be off to college, waving him goodbye. One day she wouldn't want to wear his handmade dresses or hold her Papas hand as they walked together. 

The man's heart near enough stopped when he felt the tight grip on his finger disappear, ripping his eyes from a painting to scan the room. His heart thumping in his chest. Abigail was prone to running off when things caught those wonder-filled blue eyes of hers. 

Abigail had run off toward an older man, wearing an expensive-looking cream and brown suit with a matching hat. Hands in his pockets as he gazed up at The Primavera with adoration, studying every brushstroke.  
A small hand on his leg pulled him away from the art, casting his dark gaze down to a little girl, dressed in a dark green and white dress, her unruly curls tied with a ribbon. "Hello," he chuckled softly, looking around for the girl's mother. 

"Sweet pea?" Will called softly, bending a little so he would be able to spot the minx better. He huffed in embarrassment when he saw her, gripping at a strangers leg, giggling and blabbering sheepishly. He scooped her up, bringing her to sit on his hip once again, "Darlin' don't do that again...I'm so sorry." Will apologised, looking up at the stranger with large eyes.  
Those dark maroon eyes made the slightly shorter man swoon, getting lost in them instantly. His face beautifully sculpted with sharp cheekbones, face framed with soft-looking ashy-silver hair, heart almost stopping a second time.

"Don't apologise, she caused no harm." The man chuckled, his European accent velvety and deep, enough to suck Will in. 

Hannibal looked down at the slightly younger man - at least in his early 30's. Clad in dark brown slacks, an airy button-up (the first few buttons undone to reveal the pale skin of his collar and chest), dark curls matching his daughters. The soft southern drawl of his voice making the older man smile a little, so rare he heard one like it. The man was almost as beautiful as the art that surrounded him, flustered and his face slightly sun-kissed. 

Abigail hid her face in the crook of her father's neck, little hands gripping his shirt. She had gone shy. Wills's fingers spread over the back of her head to stroke her curls, "Again, I should have been keeping an eye on her...she tends to wander sometimes." He explained with a fond smile pressed to his lips, "It's her first time in a place like this."  
The stranger hummed in amusement, watching the young girl find refuge in her father. The two looked picturesque together, the perfect image of domestic duty.  
"Ah, exposing her to beautiful things at a young age, stimulating the mind...how old is she?" He asked with a tilt of his head, flashing a smile. "Abigail just turned five, today actually." Will replied a little sheepishly but proudly, unsure how to conduct himself in front of this devilishly handsome man. 

It was a beautiful name, very fitting for the sweet girl. He wondered where the girl's mother was, that was until he saw the lack of a wedding ring on his finger. That was certainly interesting.  
"She is beautiful, much like yourself." The man complimented the other casually, his voice staying confident and friendly, "I'm Dr. Hannibal Lecter, how rude of me to not introduce myself. Yourself?"  
Will found himself blushing at the question, a pink kiss shadowing his cheeks. It was just an act of the politeness, but the way he spoke made the shorter man internally preen. He held out his free hand for the other to shake as he responded, "Will Graham, it's nice to meet you."

Hannibal. What an exquisite name for a man like himself. Will felt himself staring, his soft blue eyes looking up into dark chestnut ones, picking out every fleck of gold and hazel.  
Eye contact was often uncomfortable for Will, eyes held too much, far too distracting in conversation - but Hannibals were so easy to get lost in.  
The slightly older man clicked his tongue, flashing another pearly smile at Will, tipping his hat. "I hope to see you again before you return."  
And with that...he was gone. 

Will hadn't even mentioned to the man their stay was temporary or given him anything to ensure his wish come true. 

Will sighed softly, breathing in the delightfully more-ish scent the man had left behind, old spice with hints lavender. He could have stood there forever breathing in the hypnotising scent, forced to move when Abigail quietly asked if they could get ice cream. 

He took the girl to a quaint ice cream shop, smiling at her as she pressed her nose to the glass, hungrily deciding what flavour she would pick. Will paid happily for the strawberry ice cream, holding the cone for her so she wouldn't drop it. Finding himself unable to stop laughing at the mess she very quickly got herself in. 

Getting away from all the crime scenes and the harsh glare from Jack was one of the best ideas he'd had in a long time, thanking himself endlessly for it. He honestly couldn't remember a moment where his mind felt this quiet. When he last felt as though his skin wasn't melting away from its body. Sometimes, Will forgot just how important it was to relax and give some time to the things that mattered most. Family, his little family. 

Will pulled a soft, dog patterned handkerchief from his pocket and rubbed the ice cream from the girl's pink face, laughing a little as she tried to move away with an annoyed wine.  
"Where that man go, Papa?" She mumbled, her small voice carrying the same southern drawl as her father, blinking her long lashes at him. "I don't know, sweet pea, he was just a stranger...why did you run off?" He finally asked in a sweet voice, doing his best to make sure she didn't feel like she was being scolded for a silly surge of curiosity. " 'Dunnos, he looked...friendly!" She giggled, returning to her ice cream. "Honey, you can't run off from me because you see someone nice, okay? What if he was a mean man, stranger danger remember?" He cooed, kissing her sun-kissed forehead as she nodded silently. 

The man's fears of losing her were understandable, especially due to the job he had. He couldn't afford to lose anyone else. 

The pair held hands as they walked around town, searching for a toy store so Abigail could pick out a birthday treat like she had done the last few years. More often than not, when allowed to pick a treat, she would pick another stuffed animal to add to her growing collection. Proudly displaying them on top of the toy trunk Will built for her when she had turned one.  
This time she selected a dark coloured Elk, probably to go with the doe she had picked at Christmas. Fawning over its soft fur and plush antlers, refusing to keep it in the bag once it was paid for, demanding that she carried it back to the hotel or it would 'get upset'. Will didn't care, it made his sweet pea happy, and the stuffed animal was actually quite cute. 

Once back at the Hotel the sun had just begun to set, the small girl rubbing at her eyes with the back of her hands, clearly tired.  
"Come on," he hummed, changing the girl into her sleep onesie before getting changed himself, "let's get you into bed.". "Can I sleep with Papa, 'lease?" She mumbled sleepily, her eyes already heavy. Abigail had him wrapped around her little finger, finding it impossible to say no to her. "Of course," he whispered in return and pulled her to his chest, laying atop her father. Will pulled up the thin sheets, tucking both Abigail and her Elk under the fabric, watching with loving eyes as she drifted into a heavy sleep. The weight on his chest pulled him into another dreamless sleep, feeling more than grateful that he had left his nightmares back in Virginia. 

The slightly older man couldn't seem to get the curly-haired fool from his mind. He was there when he went drinking with friends, ate dinner, showered and lay in bed. There was something about him. The sweet southern drawl that paired very nicely with his appearance. The way he smelt like pine and firewood. Will gave off a particular vibe that made Hannibal's heart skip a few beats. 

As he lay in his large bed, canopy drawn closed to keep in the dark, he devised a plan to run into him once again. Perhaps he would make his trips to the Uffizi daily instead of bi-weekly? No, he doubted the man would go back a second time. Perhaps they would visit local parks, or he would find them wandering the streets to soak in the sights.  
All Hannibal knew, (even though it was slightly foolish) was that he had to see that sweet man and his daughter again. 

Hannibal fell asleep with a small smile, entering a dreamscape much like Wills.


	2. Breakfast meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will runs into the familiar stranger again, already smitten over the mans handsome looks and charming personality. 
> 
> Abigail gets sleepy, but there’s a promise of another ‘run in’ the next day as Hannibal offers to show him the beauty of Florence.

"Papa," Abigail giggled softly, poking the man's stubbly cheek, "Papa...wakes up!". Will laughed groggily, rubbing at his face, "I'm up, I'm up.' He sat up and got out of bed, pulling on his robe before picking his girl up, "Let's get you a bath and then go get some breakfast, how does that sound, sweat pea?"   
Abigail only let out a small happy-sounding squeal that the man took as a 'yes'.

Will took himself to the bathroom, admiring the porcelain claw-foot bathtub before he turned the water on, making sure to add some sweet-smelling bubbles. He plopped the girl into the warm water, watching with adoration as she played with the rosy-smelling sudds. With gentle fingers, cautious not to get any soap in her eyes, Will washed the girl's curls as she cooed.   
"What do you want for breakfast today, sweet pea?" He hummed, scooping water into his hands. "Pancakes! 'Lease?" She replied, looking up at her father with those large eyes, lashes damp from the warm water. "Of course, hun." He pulled her from the water and swaddled her in a towel, holding her closely, drying her off.

He loved every second he got to spend with her, she was so innocent, untainted. The man hoped she would never see the things he did, never have to see people the way Will had trained himself to see. It would kill him to see her the way he and everyone else saw him, fragile and in need of fixing. No one ever did what he did best unbroken then he does broken, Jack knew that. He knew that. The whole FBI knew that. If his work ever got in the way of him and Abigail, he wouldn't bat an eyelash at the thought of leaving, he would just do it. 

He pulled another hand made dress over the girls head, this time it was a sweet gingham pink, gently helping her into her tights and shoes. Will decided to wear his salmon coloured shirt (which matched the colour of Abigail's dress), and white slacks.   
The two headed out of their hotel room and into the busy streets to find somewhere for breakfast. The sky was free of clouds, the warm sun beating down onto Wills's shoulders and the crown on Abigail's head, illuminating the rich colour of her ringlets.   
They still had almost two weeks left in Italy but the profiler already found himself feeling reluctant to leave, Florence was just so beautiful and far away from the business of Virginia. 

Eventually, he found a cafe that piqued the girl's interest, gently shooing her inside to take a seat. Like she had so nicely asked, Abigail asked the waitress shyly for pancakes and fruit, Will only asking for a cup of coffee. Breakfast wasn't his thing.   
Whilst she happily ate, making a mess of her face, Will uploaded a few of his pictures to Facebook. He loved posting pictures of him and Abigail, always finding the comments from affectionate mothers quite funny - especially Alana Blooms.   
Alana and Margot's boy was a little younger than his little one, but she often demanded that she go to their home for playtime. The two women never fussed, another baby to fawn over wasn't a bad thing at all. 

The younger man was pulled away from his phone suddenly, perking up a little when he heard a familiar voice. It was the man from yesterday. Will felt his cheeks heat up, a little embarrassed and annoyed at himself at his reaction. Hannibal was near enough a stranger, yet he felt himself lighting up at the sound of his voice and the scent of is cologne. Maybe, the man would come and sit with them to make idle conversation, but that was something Will doubted until it actually happened. 

Hannibal wasn't planning on running into the pair then and there, if it was his decision, he would have picked a much better place. It seemed as if fate and chance had bought them together.   
Dressed in a mark maroon three-piece suit, the older man slipped himself into the chair next to Will. His confidence was alluring, bringing a blush to the man's cheek that almost matched the hue on his shirt.   
"It's nice to see you again, Will." He used the man's name to remind him that he, in fact, remembered, which only made the profilers brain turn to mush. Will wasn't convinced that he was a very memorable man; he didn't see himself as overly handsome or fascinating. He was just the same as any other man in his 30's.   
So he couldn't stop wondering why this incredibly handsome man was so interested in him - enough to share breakfast with him at least.   
Abigail beamed when she saw the man, giving him a giggly wave. 

"It's nice to see you too," he replied a little sheepishly, "Have you got much planned for today?" He asked politely, sipping on his coffee. Will hoped that, for once, his mind wouldn't betray him and he would be able to handle a normal conversation with Hannibal. Will couldn't keep his eye off the man, his tanned skin glowing against the sun that shone through the windows, his hair carrying hints of caramel and cool silvers now he was out in the light. Almost everything about him was perfect, Will wasn't even trying to hide the fact he was staring.   
The older man didn't seem to mind, his deep gaze fixated on the pool of Will's eyes as he spoke. "No, I have not, I'm off of work for the coming weeks - my days are very relaxed." He flashed a toothy grin, smiling over at the small girl, raising an amused brow when he realised the man and his daughter were matching. How darling. 

"Perhaps," Hannibal continued, aware of the man's awkwardness surrounding conversation, "if you and Abigail have no plans, you might like to come with me on a walk? Just around the town."   
Will felt his cheeks heat up again, his mouth running dry for just a moment as he collected himself. "We don't have any plans. How does that sound, sweat pea?" He turned himself to Abigail, pulling out a clean handkerchief to wipe her face of berry stains. "Yes 'lease, Papa!" She replied cheerfully against the deer-print fabric, squirming a little.  
Hannibal clapped his hands together and stood, placing a generous tip on the table, which brought a mildly shocked look to Will's face but he quickly concealed it. The man hadn't even had to work hard to return him back to the pair, they had fallen right in front of him.   
He led them out of the cafe, enjoying the pattering of little feet next to the shorter man. 

Despite the way Will thought of himself, Hannibal found him to be quite handsome in his own way. Beautiful almost. He enjoyed the others light stubble, dark chocolate curls and comfortable way of dressing - it was much different to the other men in Florence. Hannibal breathed in, bottling the scent of the other man deep in his lungs. Will smelt like aftershave that had been in storage for far too long, something with a novelty ship on its bottle. Usually, this would turn Hannibal away from someone, poor taste was a faulty personality trait. But, he found himself not minding. 

Abigail gripped her father's pointer finger with her small hand, walking between him and Hannibal, her little ringlets bouncing as she skip-walked along. She hummed softly to herself, happy to be off in her own little world, curious eyes exploring the world in front of her. 

"Where are you travelling from? The south, I presume." He hummed, curious about the man. 

"From Virginia, I'm here for a couple of weeks to escape work." Will chuckled, looking over to the man, his blue eyes almost crystal-like in the sun. 

"What do you do? If you don't mind sharing. I'm a professor myself."

Will frowned a little, his job always made people ask questions which he hated answering. "I'm an FBI profiler, I worked on cases such as the Shrike."   
His response earnt a little nod from Hannibal. He had most certainly read about the 'unstable mind' the FBI used to aid in their takedown of the Shirke. A face to the name, not the one he had expected. He also found it quite humorous that he, a criminal of sorts, would find an FBI profiler attractive. 

"Ah, you are a clever boy, Mr Graham."   
Those words sent shivers up the younger man's spine, preening slightly. He was used to praise, but it was the backhanded kind from Jack or the rest of the team, it was never truly genuine in sweetness. Will simply blushed in response as they continued to walk, very grateful that there were no more questions asked.  
The trio continued in silence, both men continuing to sneak looks at one another, not necessarily casual about it. 

Eventually, Abigail got tired of walking and whined with her arms up until her father finally scooped her up. Will chuckled a little, kissing her rosy cheeks.   
"I think someone's tired..." he whispered playfully to the girl, looking over to Hannibal - who was sporting a wide smile.   
Hannibal looked gorgeous in the light of the setting sun, his hat casting romantic shadows along his cheekbones and jaw.   
"I want a nap, Papa, tired." She whined a little, nosing at the soft fabric of his shirt.   
Will brushed her curls, something he often did when he wanted to smooth the poor thing, giving her head a small kiss. 

A small part of Hannibal had always wanted children. Someone he could watch grow up, teach, bond with. However, had had never really found anyone he considered 'worthy' to have children with, his paternal instincts still remained. Seeing that delicate little thing made him melt for just a moment, the dark side of his mind clouding over and shutting off.   
It would be selfish and rude for Hannibal to keep the doting man and his daughter, and as selfish as he could be, he was hardly ever rude.   
"Take her back for a nap," he hummed, sliding his hands into his trouser pockets, "why don't I take the both of you somewhere nice tomorrow? As beautiful as the town is, the country is much better...and if Miss Abigail gets tired, you are very welcome to put her to rest in my home." 

The offer made Will's cheeks light up, his body only allowing him to nod in reply.

"Oh...that sounds lovely, that would be very kind of you, Hannibal." He finally managed, pulling his phone from his pocket.  
The two men exchanged numbers to make contacting one another a little easier before they went their separate ways for the evening. 

"Papa's pink!" Abigail chirped up when they were almost back, her little hands squeezing his warm cheeks, causing them to turn scarlet.   
Will's sexuality had never come up before between him and Abigail, more than likely due to her age. She would no doubt get curious at some point as to why her Papa might have a boyfriend or a girlfriend. Will doubted he would have a partner for a long time, he often saw himself as a burden.   
"Well, Hannibal is a very kind man, Papa just got...embarrassed." He laughed, trying his best to explain it to her in a way she would understand. Abigail giggled sweetly, "Do you 'ike him, Papa?" She mumbled, beginning to rub her eyes, aching for a nap. 'I don't know, sweet pea. Don't you worry your little head, get some rest." 

When they had finally reached their room, Will lay down on the sun lounger on the balcony, his sleeping girl curled up on his chest, both soaking up the setting sun and cool breeze. He brushed his slim fingers slowly through her curls, comforted by her smell and weight on his chest. 

Hannibal smiled proudly to himself, playing out the mans reaction in his mind for the rest of the evening. Will was so sincere with how he responded to things, there was no sense of falseness or the impression that the man was trying to impress Hannibal. He was simply being himself, something the older man appreciated almost more than anything. 

He spent the rest of the evening preparing for their day out. Slicing thin bits of meats and expensive cheeses to make a platter, making a note to go to his favourite bakery first thing in the morning.   
Hannibal wanted to make this memorable for the other man and his daughter. Florence was a beautiful place, he aimed to make them see as much of it as possible.


	3. Handsome man.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal takes the two to one of his favourite locations, introducing the other man to the beauty that Florence held. 
> 
> Hannibal refuses to allow Will to slip through his fingers, wanting to spend as much time with the younger man. He felt an innocent hunger growing in him.

Despite his wickedness, Hannibal didn't feel the urge to feed the two human meat, he would spare them from that. He was always curious as to how people would react the first time eating his food, pondering whether or not they were aware of its origin.   
Feeding the rude to Will and Abigail just didn't seem right, he worried about the young girl's digestive track, she wouldn't be able to process it correctly.   
Instead, he packed a small platter of meats and cheeses for Will and him, fruit, expensive champagne, and some sweet cakes for Abigail. For a few moments, he wondered if he was going a little overboard, eventually shrugging the feeling off as he headed to his car.

Will had woken up the unfamiliar feeling of butterflies in his stomach. Like being too full and starved all at once, something he hadn't felt since he proposed to his deceased fiancé. He rubbed over his stomach and then up to the scar on his shoulder, humming happily. He finally pulled himself out of the plush bed, allowing Abigail to sleep a little longer whilst he showered.   
Will took extra care washing himself that morning, lathering up his curls with sweet-smelling suds, enjoying the hot water on his skin.   
The younger man didn't usually mind how he smelt (the cologne with a ship on the bottle made that obvious), but he felt as though making a special effort would work out in his favour that day.   
Whilst shaving his face, the pitter-patter of little feet brought a smile to his face.   
"Mornin' sweet pea!" He hummed, reaching a hand down to tousle her curls.   
"Mornin' Papa, hug!" Abigail demanded, pressing her face into the man's stomach until he wrapped his arms around her. 

The profiler spent the better part of two hours getting Abigail dressed, being patient when she fussed and whined, combatting his help.   
"Come on, sweet, put your dress on, we can't go out otherwise." He chuckled, pulling the angelic white dress over her head, smoothing it out with gentle hands. Will knew that the likelihood of the dress and white tights being covered in grass stains would be very high, but the dress was just too precious to miss out on. He used two bits of blue ribbon to tye her hair into pigtails, brushing the stray ringlets from her rosy face. 

Soon, the man's phone flashed with an unknown number, which instantly made Will worry. However, it melted away when the sound of the other man's voice chirped from the other end, letting him know he was waiting outside.   
Will carried the girl downstairs, smiling a little when he saw the older man stood next to a black Bentley. The man was more wealthy than Will had first thought. Usually, he didn't like wealthier people - always too up their own asses.

"Hello!" He greeted, opening the back door for the young girl, his eyes glued to Will and the white loosely buttoned shirt he wore. Hannibal breathed in, closing his eyes for a second to enjoy the lavender scent wafting off of the man's curly hair, it must have been the complimentary hotel shampoos. It was delicious. 

"Hey, thank you for picking us up." Will smiled, sliding himself into the passenger side, gazing over at the man. The prospect of spending the whole day with the other man made the feeling in his stomach intensified. 

Hannibal chuckled a little, starting the car for their short drive. "I didn't expect you to find your own way, Will, it's a little far out to walk." He looked over at the man for a few seconds before shifting his eyes back to the road.   
The two made casual conversation for the rest of the drive, Will's lips pulled into a small smile almost the whole time. 

The car stopped in a small dirt parking lot surrounded by fields. It was gorgeous, rolling hills of green and shocks of bright colours, a little stream of clear water in the distance. Hannibal pulled a picnic basket and soft blanket from his trunk, gesturing for the man to follow him, Abigail already running ahead of them.   
He led them towards a patch of flower-covered grass sheltered by Willow trees, laying out the blanket.  
This was overwhelmingly sweet to the younger man, it had most definitely been a long time since anyone had done this for him. But he wasn't complaining. 

Hannibal lay out the wooden board of cheese and meats, producing a porcelain tub of cake for the young girl and some fruits, smiling charmingly. Abigail squealed quietly, thanking the older man sweetly as she sat down on her father's lap, picking up the tub with both of her small hands. Will's cheeks had gained a rosy flush, looking over at the man through his dark lashes, "It's beautiful here, Hannibal, do you come here often?" 

"I do," he replied, offering the man a cracker and some meat. "I come here to draw sometimes, I would like to remember this place forever...no one ever comes here." The man finished, placing some food into his mouth delicately. 

The curly-haired man could picture that. Hannibal sat in long, sweet grass in a beautifully tailored suit with a pencil in hands, hat tilted over his face. He almost lost himself in his thoughts, picturing the handsome man in various scenarios.   
"Hmm, I would too if I lived in a place as beautiful as Florence. All it does is snow in Wolftrap like it's always winter." He hummed, enjoying the food.   
Abigail had already devoured half of the slice of cake and a few grapes, her hands messy, holding them up for Will to clean. A lot of parents might be annoyed at their children making messes, but the man found it endearing and quite funny.   
"Oh, love," he chuckled, reaching into the small baby bag he had brought with him to retrieve a wet wipe, getting rid of the cake on her hands and face. 

"Papa, can I go play,'lease?" Abigail batted her lashes, giving him a sweet smile, pointing to the little stream in eyeshot.   
"Of course, let me take your shoes off first. I don't want them to get ruined." Will slipped the girls little shoes off, putting them into his bag before giving the girl a little pat, "Off you go, but be careful sweet pea!" He ended up half-yelling the rest of his sentence, watching her run off with a loud giggle. 

There was a slight shift and suddenly Hannibal was sitting a little closer to Will, smile on his pink lips. "Would you like some champagne, Will?" He asked, already pulling the flutes and bottle from the basket.   
The profiler nodded, taking one of the glasses gently so the other could pour him some. "Thank you," he took a little sip, sighing softly at the sweet taste.   
Hannibal was really spoiling him. The bottle was obviously expensive, and the food too. The heavenly location, bright flowers and maroon eyes trained on the other man, admiring him. Butterflies were still trapped in the younger man's stomach, threatening to break free if Hannibal's gaze got any more intense. 

The older man watched Will drink intently, watching cool beads run down the glass, pink lips parting to allow the drink to slip between them. It was awfully distracting, the man was so unaware of his beauty, unaware of just how enticing he was - which only made him more beautiful. Hannibal found himself wondering what he would feel like; how his lips would feel pressed against his own, hand gripping at the man's slender waist. Hannibal's wants came over him like a brutal wave, eroding at his self-control until the foundations cracked and collapsed. They were threatening to now, almost in drowning him. 

Will had most definitely noticed the other's intense gaze, his blue pools shifting to meet the dark pair. The man smiled a little, glasses falling down his nose slightly until they reached the tip, perching there.   
The younger man almost choked when Hannibal reached out and adjusted them for him, using his deft dingers to push them back to the bridge, moving his hand to then cup his face.  
Eyes fluttered be lips, taking in every facial feature on offer, drinking one another up like dehydrated beasts. Hannibal rubbed his thumb gently against Wills cheekbone, their noses brushing together ever so lightly, hearts racing. 

Tenderly, their lips met, pulling one another in for a delicate kiss. Will tasted like champagne, the lingering taste of food sitting on those plush lips. With closed eyes, Will placed the glass onto the floor; hands cupping the others sharp features as he parted his lips to momentarily deepen the kiss.   
The kiss was short, both reluctant to pull away, sighing as they did so. Will looked even more beautiful, his lips a little pink and swollen from their kiss, his cheeks flushed with the darkest shade of ruby and eyes half-lidded. The older man licked his lips with a small hum, using his pointer finger to brush away a few loose curls, their faces still pressed close together. 

"Hannibal..." Will finally whispered, his intense gaze unwavering, "why did you...?"

"Because I wanted to, I could not deny myself...you are quite a handsome man." Hannibal almost purred in response, their lips grazing over one another's before Will was pulled away by a happy screech. 

"It looks like I have to go play chase..." Will laughed, heaving himself up before kicking off his shoes. He ran off after the small girl, chasing her through the tall grass and collection of flowers. Abigail screamed through loud laughs, slowing down so that Will could pick her up and spin her around. She loved it when he did that, it made her feel like a princess. The man happily obliged, spinning her around in fast circles, swinging her as they laughed with one another.   
Hannibal watched on tenderly, his eyes soft and filled with warmth. Will and Abigail looked so happy together, laughing and frolicking with one another as if they were the only people to exist. The older man was unable to stop himself from snapping a photo of them on his phone, laughing aloud when Will fell to the floor in mock defeat. 

The trio continued like that for a few hours, playing amongst the flowers with one another, taking the occasional break to sit back down for drinks or a small snack. After a while, Abigail's energy began to dwindle and she asked, voice slightly slurred from sleepiness, if they could leave, remembering the older man's promise of a nap. Hannibal obliged, wasting no time in packing up their picnic and leading them back to the car, the young girl in her father's arms.   
By the time he had parked his car in the drive, Abigail was fast asleep in the backseat, snoring softly.

Hannibal's home was grand, probably one of the biggest houses Will had ever seen - certainly bigger than his cosy house back home. It was classic, the drive paved with marble stone, gates black and looming.   
Inside was something else. The man's house was decorated beautifully, the items clearly expensive but did not lack taste or class like most wealthy people. Spotted around the entranceway and attached lounge space were pieces of painted art - some of which were famous, some that seemed to be painted by Hannibal himself. It was intimidating, bringing a sense of inadequacy over Will as he walked down the hall, shoes clicking on the beautiful stone floor.   
"Come, you can put her down in the guest room." He spoke quietly, almost whispering as not to wake Abigail. Will appreciated it. 

He appreciated all of this. 

The older man led him to one of the three bedrooms, pushing the door open. This guest room was made for the few of Hannibal's friends that had children young enough to sleep in single beds, which were still quite large. Will lay the girl down on the first of two beds (decorated with the softest pink sheets he had ever felt), carefully taking her dress off to leave her in the vest she had on under. He tucked her in and produced the Elk plush from his bag, tucking it in next to her so she wasn't alone, always prepared.   
The professor watched on from the door, smiling, Wills love for her filling the room. Will was gentle and caring, the parental pang jabbing at Hannibal's side bluntly, loosely translating to jealousy.

"Thank you, Hannibal." The younger man smiled, finally speaking once the bedroom door had slipped shut and they were far enough away for Abigail not to stir.   
"It's no issue, Will, your company is appreciated and enjoyed." He chuckled a little, leading the man into the kitchen, pouring them both two fingers of whisky. 'Willett's Pot'. The younger man blinked at the dainty bottle, remembering how he had seen the bottle once and scoffed at the price to size ratio. Hannibal really was unknowingly spoiling him. Or was he? 

It tasted like rich caramel, burning the man's throat as he took a small sip, enjoying the warm feeling that filled his belly. 

The pair found themselves settling on the balcony, sitting next to one another in the swinging chair Hannibal had installed not long ago, enjoying the skyline view. Will's slim fingers rested against the plush on the chair, shyly snaking their way over to Hannibal's hand. Their hands resting atop one another, a soft alcohol-induced blush dusted on Wil's cheeks. 

"I had a good time today, where you took us was gorgeous." Will mumbled, setting his empty glass on the table in front of him. 

"Mm, so were you...you will have to let me take you and dear Abigail out again, it would be my pleasure, Will." He too set down his glass, hand returning to cup the younger man's face the way it had before, tracing his cheek with a thumb. "The opera perhaps?"

The profiler pressed his face into the other's hand, welcoming the touch eagerly. Hannibal already wanted to spend more time with him? He felt the butterflies swarm him again, lashes fluttering up at the older man.   
"Yes..." he replied simply, leaning in to press another kiss to his lips, enjoying the shared taste of alcohol.

Unlike before, this kiss was much longer, allowing the roaming of hands. Will rested a hand on the soft fabric on the man's button-up, trailing it to his arm to give it a tight squeeze, Hannibal's fingers lacing into delicate curls.   
The profiler let out a small, happy sound, pulling away for just a second to catch his breath - latching himself back on almost instantly.   
The kiss ended before it could become anything else, the sky now a dark violet as the sun bid its goodbyes. 

"I'm cold." He whispered, adjusting his glasses.

"Let's go inside then" Hannibal whispered back, locking the balcony door behind them.


	4. The Opera.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both men find themselves accepting their feelings for one another.   
> Is something blooming?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minor NSFW at the end.

The rest of the evening was a slight blur for Will. Drowsy from all the whiskey and champagne, as well as the heat, it was hard for him to tell what was real and what was a dream.   
He could remember the kiss though, soft lips pressed against one another, tongues brushing with soft sighs, Hannibals hands on his slender body. That was real.   
Will smiled to himself as he woke up, back in their hotel room, Abigail by his side; Had Hannibal brought them back? Had he gotten drunken Will changed for bed? He must have, the profiler wasn't very good at undressing himself after a few fingers of whiskey - and they had drunk quite a few last night. 

He eventually pulled himself out of bed, slugging into the bathroom to wash his face, hoping it would wake him up a little more. As he washed his face, he allowed his fingers to trace over his lips for just a second, chuckling at how sappy he was acting. Will rarely allowed himself to feel this way. It was dangerous, allowing himself to fall for someone even if it were a simple crush. He hadn't been with anyone since the passing of his fiancé, it was all quite new and unusual, feeling those emotions snaking their way back in. He wasn't going to force them down though, he wouldn't let himself do that this time.   
It was foolish to think they could have a real relationship, considering Will lived across the world and had to return at some point, but he could enjoy it for now.

The younger man made Abigail some breakfast and sat in bed with her for a while, watching the small television. The two didn't have any plans for that day, perhaps he would find a funfair or an aquarium to take his daughter to - she loved fish almost a much as her fisherman father.   
He did exactly that, dressing the girl before taking her out to a nearby aquarium, Hannibal in the back of his mind all day. 

Hannibal had taken the younger man home the evening before, not wanting him to get lost or hurt.   
He and Will had spent a few more hours inside, drinking and learning about one another, picking at each other's brains like hungry Shrikes. The older man had learnt why Will wore no wedding ring, why he had come alone to Italy without the young girl's mother. Hannibal felt a for the man, not pity, but he found himself understanding the struggle a little.   
When his parents had died, the professor was forced to act like a father for his younger sister. He had kept her safe until he couldn't, tentative and comforting until the very end. He shared this with the man, glad he did not receive pitiful eyes, but the same understanding ones. 

He had enjoyed learning about the other man, so absorbed in someone that wasn't himself.   
Will looked delicious the whole evening, the rosy blush pressed to his cheeks all evening, eye's half-lidded from tiredness and intoxication. Hannibal found it hard to not devour the man right there on his sofa, but he remained under control, the two sharing soft kisses a few more times. He hadn't kissed someone that made him feel the way Will did before. There was something about the profiler that made Hannibal not want to slink away, thinking about him almost every spare moment during the day. 

Without Will or Abigail to occupy his time, Hannibal decided to pay a visit to his tailor in hopes for a new suit. 

"Are you going anywhere special, Dr Lecter?" Antony hummed as he measured the older man's inseams.

"I am taking someone to the Opera tomorrow," he furrowed his brows slightly, "a sort of date...I would suppose." 

The younger man chuckled, getting back to his feet. "A date?" He raised a brow, British accent laced with curiosity. The whole time he had been the other man's tailor, he had never mentioned his love life. "We better find you something elegant." 

Hannibal smiled a little, nodding. When Antony produced a midnight-blue three-piece suit, the small smile grew, tracing a thumb over the fabric. "Mmh, this is very nice." 

"Yes, with a white shirt, matching tie and handkerchief, you'll have this lady swooning." He assured, moving behind the counter to pack it up in soft tissue. 

"Man." Hannibal corrected plainly, watching the man to gauge his reaction. It wasn't shocked, or disgusted, more curious. He wasn't surprised, Hannibal had never mentioned his love life, let alone his sexuality. 

Antony handed the man his bags, "My apologies, Dr Lecter. I hope you have an enjoyable time." He chuckled, escorting the man from his store. It was nice to discuss more personal things with Dr Lecter, he was the mans best paying and most frequent customer. 

The older man nodded, taking his bags home. 

Hannibal's session with his tailor had taken up quite a sizeable chunk of his day, not leaving him with much time to clean up before slipping out again. He, of course, had the money to pay for professional cleaners or a maid, but he refused to have strangers in his personal business. Hannibal's home, as beautiful as it was, harboured many secrets. It would be disastrous if anyone found the monsters lurking in his closet, it didn't worry him, no one would find out.  
He wasn't exactly expecting the other man to come back to his house after the Opera, but it needed to be presentable for the two, just in case. 

The next day, Will spent a long time getting himself and Abigail ready. He had never been to an Opera, but he assumed everyone would be dressed nicely, trying to one-up each other with their pretentious outfits. Thankfully, Will had brought a suit with him, in case he had wanted to dress a little nicer or in case he wanted to take Abigail somewhere fancy to eat. It was made by an expensive company, usually leaving out the part where he thrifted the whole thing. 

Will showered and shaved again, tidying up his whole body absentmindedly. He felt giddy, like how teenage girls must feel getting ready for prom, butterflies swarming him for the third time that week. The profiler was nervous, but not in the same way he often was at crime scenes, this one was floaty and warm - like a bubble bath. He liked this feeling encompassed him, holding him tight.   
He pulled on his black suit, surprised it still fit him nicely, the last time he had worn it was for the Shrike press conferences a few years prior. Will felt confident, enjoying the way the fabric hugged his body in a complementary way, his dark curls framing his shaven face.   
'Handsome' he thought to himself, turning his attention to the sweet girl. 

Abigail had picked a black and dark blue dress to wear, demanding that she be allowed to wear her glittery tights - even though she always complained they made her itchy.   
"Papa you look like a Disney pwince!" She giggled, little hands pressing her father's cheeks together affectionately.   
"Thank you, sweet pea, you look lovely." He chuckled, running a comb through her soft hair as blush dusted her cheeks.   
Although it was only his daughter, being complimented made him feel even more confident, his minor worry melting away. 

The next few hours were painful, Will constantly getting up to check if Hannibal was parked outside yet, his heart racing. It was just the Opera, it was just one man, so why was he so anxious?  
The older man made him feel good without even trying. He had a silly crush. Will felt like a teenage boy all over again. 

"Miss Abigail! Will!" Hannibal greeted, arriving just as the sun had started to set. "You both look lovely." The man complimented, holding the car door open for both parties. He noted how the three of them had unknowingly matched, Abigail wearing the combined colours of both the men's suits. 

"Pardon me for being late," he hummed once they were in the car, "I lost track of time." Truthfully, the older man was caught up butchering last nights 'prey'. Ensuring there was absolutely no trace of the man's body in his home, despite what was left in the fridge for his coming meals. 

"Don't be ridiculous," Will chuckled, leaning back to put his baby bag in the backseat; this time packing it with nightwear for Abigail in advanced. "It's perfectly okay." He assured before falling into a comfortable silence. 

The drive wasn't long to the theatre; a big and beautiful building, clearly just as old and classic as the museum. It was bustling with life, well-dressed couples and singles making their way into the warm building, leisurely finding their seats. Soft, dim lights welcomed the trio, soon blanketing them in inky darkness when the show finally started.   
Abigail was perched on Wills lap, the younger man's hand searching for Hannibal's to hold in the dark, sighing contently when he had found it.   
Will felt his cheeks heat up a little at the casual affection, glad that the theatre was dark enough to where the other man wouldn't be able to see. 

There was an electricity between the two, one that both of them felt but left it unsaid, they didn't need to say anything when it was so obvious.   
Hannibal found it difficult to find someone on the same level, the same wavelength, as him, no one else was the same as him. Besides Will. The man might not know it, but the older man could feel it. He could smell the darkness in him, the talent and deepness. Will was a beautiful creature. 

Eventually, the intermission rolled around, Will politely excused himself to take Abigail to the bathroom. Hannibal also disappeared, taking himself to the concession stand to get him and Will a finger of whiskey to sip on throughout the rest of the show, politely asking for a warmed up cup of milk for the young girl.   
"There you are." Will chuckled when he saw the man return, extending his hand to take the glass from him. 

"For you, Miss Abigail," the older man smiled softly, handing the warm plastic cup to her, making sure she took it with both of her hands.   
"Thank yous, Hanni!" She replied happily, leaning her head on Will's chest as she sipped, letting out a happy sigh.   
Hannibal found himself letting out a little coo, a warm blush on his cheeks once he had realised the sound had slipped out. 

They settled back down as the theatre returned to darkness, the rest of the show beginning. 

After a few hours, the curtains were drawn and the show was over. Hannibal looked over at the pair next to them, smiling warmly at the precious sight. The young girl was fast asleep in her father's arms, thumb pushed between her lips, Will's head was slumped to the side, half asleep.   
"Will," he whispered softly, gently picking the sleeping girl up, cradling her against his warm chest, "it's time to go."

Will blinked groggily, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. "Hmm?" He mumbled, getting to his feet, "what's wrong?"

The older man simply smiled, gently leading the man back to the Bentley as he carried the girl in his strong arms. Hannibal was enjoying this, such simple pleasures he assumed most other people experienced often. Will and Abigails weren't permanently his, but for now, he could pretend that they were. It was rare he allowed himself to feel like this, the man was often at fault for feeling too intensely and far too quickly. He could allow himself this, allow himself the few weeks he would have with Will. 

He drove slowly to ensure that both parties stayed asleep, making a point to avoid the bombs and potholes he knew were on the road, even taking a longer route.   
When he parked the car, he gently scooped Abigail bac into his arms as he collected the baby back, softly whispering for the man to get up and come inside. If he had enough arms he would have carried Will too.   
Hannibal changed and put the girl to bed in the same room she had slept in a few days before, sweeping curls from her sleeping face, placing the Elk in bed with her. He watched for a few moments, watching her chest rise and fall, nose scrunched up a little as she shifted under the sheets. The man could definitely see Will in her, both beautiful in a different way. 

Will was now more aware of where he was, eyes still half-lidded and heavy with sleep.   
"Come with me," the older man mumbled softly, taking the mans hand to lead him to his own bedroom; large and cosy.   
"Thank you, Hannibal...I had fun." The brunette slurred, happily sitting down on the plush bed.   
Hannibal removed the man's shoes for him, carefully and slowly undressing him, folding his suit over an armchair. He caressed the man's face, pressing a few soft kisses to his lips before undressing himself. 

"You're welcome, I-" Hannibal had started to reply when he had slipped into bed with the other man but was cut off by a vicious attack of kisses, gasping a little. The younger man placed his hand on the others bare chest, enjoying the feeling of soft hair between his fingers, a large hand reaching up to cup his cheek. Hannibal was taken aback, only seconds ago the dear boy was on the verge of passing out from tiredness, now he was latched onto him like a parasite. It was not unwelcomed, however.   
They rolled so that Will was pinned under the other's strong body, longer fingers combing through soft curls as they continued to kiss. Will wrapped a leg loosely around Hannibals middle, breaking the kiss so he could pay attention to the warm dip of skin, kissing desperately at his neck. 

He let out a low groan at the kisses, pushing a knee between Will's legs, smiling at how easily he had spread them. As the younger man kissed the soft skin, Hannibals hands wandered across hot bare skin, teasing across pert nipples which drew a delicious sound from busy lips. The heat shared between the two was maddening, already drawing up a slight sheen on the older's tanned skin; tugging chocolate curls to press another kiss to his lips.   
Will pushed his hips upwards, whining softly into the kiss; his tiredness and minor intoxication making him a lot needier than usual. The action earned another low grunt from the other man who readily returned the movement, pushing down just a little rougher. He was allowing this to get out of hand, allowing them to get ahead of themselves. 

"Will..." he finally whispered between a sloppier kiss, pulling away to look down at the man. God. Will looked perfect there, lips swollen and kiss-bruised, face covered with a light wash of pleasure. He had to stop now before this went any further. If they wanted thy could always continue the next day.   
"Will, you're tired...let's get some sleep, okay?" He sighed, brushing curls from a suddenly disappointed face. 

"Okay..." Wil replied with a little yawn, his tiredness washing over him for a third time now, "goodnight, Hannibal."   
He rested his head on Hannibal's warm chest, sighing when a strong arm wrapped around him and held him close, stroking his hair as they drifted off. 

Sleep found both men easily that night, their limbs entangled under the warm sheets.


	5. Good Morning.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal and Will spend the morning exploring one another’s body’s. Kissing. Touching. Admiring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Major fluffy NSFW warning for this chapter!

Eyelashes fluttered as he woke up, sighing breathily at the feeling of Hannibals lips on his neck. What a wonderful way to be woken up. 

"Goodmorning," the older man grumbled between kisses, one of his large hands running up and down the soft skin of Wills side. They were laying back to front, bodies pressed together almost as if they were conjoined. Wills skin was gorgeous, delicate and pale with spots of sweet blush, almost shining in the morning light seeping in through curtains. 

"Mornin'," Will whispered back, the drawl of his southern accent a little more apparent after a long sleep, breathy and gruff. He shivered despite the warm sun drowning him, pressing his body against the man a little more. If he could get any closer to the man, he would love to, the feeling of skin on skin contact was absorbing him. Will grabbed the other's roaming hand and pulled it to his lips, kissing each finger and knuckle softly, nosing the warmness. He could get lost in this. Lost in the feeling of closeness, of being adored like this. 

Hannibal continued kissing, pressing his lips to the man's neck, shoulders and back. Eventually, his hand explored below the soft sheets, fingers dancing along the plush skin of Will's thighs. It was amazing, being so intimate with someone, even with the light touches and one-way kisses. He would be happy if this is all they did.   
Will rolled onto his back, pulling the older man on top of him, "That was an amazing way to be woken up." He whispered, taking his turn in covering the other man with sweet kisses. 

"Mmh, I couldn't resist." He chuckled, followed by a quiet groan, Will's soft stubble brushing against his skin nicely. Hannibal grabbed the younger man's chin and pulled him in for a kiss, sighing happily into his mouth. They closed their eyes, tongues pushing between pink lips.   
The younger man let out another delicious sound as Hannibal hooked his fingers around the waistband of the man's bottoms, pulling them off of him, discarding them on the floor. Will shuddered, watching as the older of the pair begun kissing down his chest to his stomach. It felt wonderful, burning his skin. Hannibal knew just what he was doing, exactly where to put his lips and how hard to kiss, using his hands as added stimulation. 

After kissing every available bit of flesh he could get his lips on, Hannibal found it hard to ignore the younger man's growing erection. He started to leave soft kisses over it, looking up at the other man through his lashes with a little smirk.   
Will lay there, spreading his legs a little with a delighted moan, lifting his hips up expectantly.  
"Please," he mumbled, fingers lacing in the silver mess of Hannibal's hair, giving it an encouraging tug. 

"Yes, dear Will?" Hannibal laughed softly, his hands gripping the other's hips. There didn't need to be anything else said, the professor knew exactly what Will wanted. Needed. He was more than happy to give it to him.  
Hannibal slowly dragged his hot tongue up the man's erection, wasting no time in taking it into his mouth. Smirking slightly at the muffled moan he got in response. The younger man had covered his mouth with a shaking hand, disappointing, but understandable considering.   
The feeling of wet, soft heat made Will's hips buck again, sensitive body responding marvellously.   
No form of needy masturbation would match up to this delightful experience, even Hannibal's mouth was heavenly. 

Two of Hannibal's fingers pushed their way between the other's lips, still moving his head whist the younger man sucked on the digits. He pulled his mouth off right before Will got too close to the edge, aiming to stretch this out a little while longer. 

"Spread your legs for me, wider." Hannibal instructed, head now resting on slightly muscular thighs, fingers teasing Will. He pushed them in slowly, holding the man's hips down with his free hand so he couldn't buck upward, kissing his thighs soothingly. He assumed Will had been with men before, but he didn't want to use that as an excuse to be brutal and uncaring, taking his time to relax the man's malleable body, watching him melt. 

Will writhed, his fingers gripping at the sheets beneath him. The other was correct in thinking he had been with men before, but none like Hannibal. No other man had been as caring, often his encounters were quick, sloppy and unromantic. The complete opposite of this early-morning encounter.   
The profilers body was covered in a light sheen of sweet sweat, his stomach tightening and relaxing as he tried not to slip over the edge from just fingers. He needed more.   
Using his feet, Will pulled Hannibal up from his position, whimpering. 

This caused the older man to raise a light brow. Did Will want to stop? Was he not enjoying himself as much as he sounded?  
His worry dissipated when he felt his pyjama bottoms being tugged off, lifting up his knees a little so they could slip off completely. 

Will wanted more. 

Hannibal wasn't bothered about receiving anything from the other man, drenching him in pleasure was all he cared about in the moment. He slicked himself up with spit, too in the moment to search for his bottle of lube in the top drawer, gasping as he pushed into Will. Slow and steady.  
Tight heat engulfed him, hands finding their way to the others slim hips. He allowed Will to get used to the feeling, assuming it had been a while since he had allowed himself the pleasure of being touched by someone else. 

In this moment of stillness, he admired the man underneath him; body spotted with ruby blush, face twisted in pleasure, those chocolatey curls splay out on the pillow under him like a halo. The soft blend of colours and striking good looks reminded Hannibal of the work of Botticelli. Romantic and blurred. 

He trapped Will in a romantic, passion-filled kiss as he began moving his hips, snapping them back and forth slowly. He did this mostly to conceal the other's moans and whimpers. What a vocal boy he was. 

"M-Mmh!" Will gasped, burying his face in the man's neck, licking the salty skin. His hands grabbed helplessly at the other's back, dull nails digging into hot flesh, trying his best to ground himself. The pleasure he was experiencing was consuming him, pushing every coherent thought from the mush of his brain. He could only focus on one thing, and that was the man on top of him.   
It was a strange feeling, his mind perfectly stilled, focusing on only one thing instead of a million. He wanted to thank Hannibal, but all he could manage was a happy quiet moan. 

"You feel so good." The professor whispered as he pressed his forehead against Will's sweaty one, a lazy smile taking over his lips. It was true. Hannibal's body felt hot and taught, like going on a long run in the freezing cold, burning magically. It felt even better knowing how in tune they were with one another, hands roaming, grabbing, gripping; their expressions of pleasure quiet and breathy. 

Hannibal let out a slightly surprised noise when he felt Will push him, rolling so he was straddling him. Shocked by the quick change in position and the bottom's surprising strength. He wasn't going to complain, though.   
He was happy to watch Will from this delectable angle. 

He gripped the man's hips, slowly guiding his movements. Will pulled the sheets up to cover his partner's legs, rolling himself against his groin until he was comfortable enough to move properly.   
Hannibal's hands moved up from his hips to his chest, fingers dancing across a long scar on the man's shoulder, "W-What happened?" He asked shakily. 

Will chuckled through a quiet moan. What an odd time to ask.   
"I...I was in the - ah! - police force," he mumbled in response, hands resting on the man's chest, fingers running through the salt and pepper hair. "Got stabbed...hurt." He managed to finish, dishevelled curls falling into his flushed face. 

Hannibal gave a thoughtful hum in response, his hands moving down his sweat-covered back until he reached the plush of Will's ass, giving it a tight squeeze of encouragement.   
"Handsome boy," he grumbled, squeezing roughly a second time, drawing another whimper from dear Will, kissing over the scar. 

It was quite endearing, how the other man's southern drawl seemed to intensify when pleasure found its way into his voice, drawing certain vowels out longingly. Hannibal would miss this when the profiler had to inevitably return home. 

He pushed that thought away, he would address the problem when it came. Right now, he had a gorgeous man to please.   
The older man sat up, his hands resting at the small of Will's toned back, digging his fingers into the flesh lightly. He sucked a pert nipple into his mouth, dragging his teeth over the sensitive skin until it turned a deeper pink - noting Will's very positive reaction to the stimulation.   
His own dull nails dug into hot flesh, testing if the man would react in the same positive manner, which he did. Hannibal continued biting and sucking small brushes all over the pale canvas on top of him, chuckling lowly as Will sped up, chasing his personal high. 

The brunette buried his face into silver hair, using it as a way to muffle his high-pitched moans and whines of the other man's name, 'A's drawn-out sweetly. His hands continued to grip the man's muscular back, feeling of the scars Hannibal had seemed to collect himself, fingers pulling at the hair at his nape.   
Will's thighs burnt from all the muscles he was using to keep his movements quick and continuous, not wanting to miss out on a second of pleasure. The pain was enjoyable - dull enough not to annoy him but perfectly present. 

"Will." He whispered against the shell of a pink ear, hot tongue flicking out to lick it. 

"Hannibal." Will whispered back, turning his head to catch those beautifully swollen lips in a deep kiss, eyes squeezed shut. 

It was very obvious both men weren't going to last much longer. Hannibal's breathing had turned into heavy pants, Will's moans muffled and strained, his movements a lot sloppier. 

"Hang on a...a little longer," Hannibal cooed, accent thick and gruff with pleasure, "for me."

Will nodded, suddenly unable to think of, let alone voice, coherent sentences. The pleasure was all-consuming, taking over his body and contorting him into all sorts of positions. Not once in his life had he felt this good, like he was floating or on another planet.   
His fiancé had made him feel good, but there was always something missing. 

Hannibal. That's what was missing. 

He had gone his whole life without someone that understood him wholly in this way. Understood what felt right and wrong without the need for verbal communication. Emotions in tune as they rocked back and forth, helping one another reach ecstasy.   
The feelings he was developing were only festering, the butterflies swarming from his stomach into his heart and brain.   
Maybe it was just because he was in a romantic city, with a handsome man, searching to escape the restraints of his job for a while; that, he strongly doubted.   
It wasn't often that he allowed his environment to affect his emotions if he did, he would be terrible at his job. This wouldn't be any different.   
He didn't want this connection to go away, he felt truly conjoined to the man - body and mind. 

When Will couldn't manage to move anymore, his legs giving out completely from soreness and pleasure, trembling, Hannibal adjusted himself slightly so he could fuck up into the man.   
He buried his face in the younger man's slick hairless chest, moaning against the hot skin. Will's fingers laced themselves with Hannibals, gripping onto his hand tightly, searching for something to ground him, stopping him from floating away. 

Hannibal wanted to devour the man, rip into his flesh until he found the core of that sweet man, wishing to taste every inch of him.   
He never wanted anyone else to see the profiler in this light; dishevelled and utterly vulnerable. This was his. A memory he would tuck away in the vast library of his mind palace, savoured for the times he would be without the man. Hannibal knew he was the best Will had ever been with, he could smell the raw and honest arousal on the man, his whines and soft curses were evidence enough. It brought a smug smile to Hannibals pleasured face. 

He continued to thrust upward, his hips brutal and intense, a parallel to the soft and slow movements used only an hour before. The older man pushed two fingers back into Will's mouth, silencing his moans, completely unbothered by the sharp teeth sinking into his skin.   
It didn't hurt him one bit, he doubted he would say anything even if it did. 

Will's eyes rolled back into his head, back arching gracefully as he let out a very muffled, almost inaudible, cry of pleasure. Watching the man come completely undone, coming onto his thighs and stomach, made Hannibal's own eyes roll back a little, in complete awe of the sight before him.   
Hannibal bit down on the scar on the man's shoulder, muffling his low moan as he came inside the other, thrusting softly now to help both him and Will ride out their orgasm.   
The two stayed glued together, panting and heaving against one another as Will blinked stars from his cloudy vision. 

Was he crying?

The gentle fingers wiping at his cheeks quickly answered that question. He was crying. Whether it be from pleasure or the raw emotion he felt, Will didn't really care, he had Hannibal to care for him now. Will was also thankfully his older counterpart didn't press as to why.   
He fell back against the mattress with a soft chuckle, the older man falling down next to him, heads tilted to face one another - drowsy smiles on both their faces.   
Fingers laced together once more, loosely holding one another's hands. 

"You are amazing, Hannibal." He smiled, his voice a little hoarse from having to fight back yells and screams. 

"Don't stroke my ego." He warned playfully, sitting up on his elbow to give the other a slow, calmer kiss. 

Will purred, brushing the strands of silver and ash hair from the man's still-flushed face. He looked at the clock.

Nine-thirty. Abigail would be up shortly, demanding sweetly for her breakfast. 

Without another word, the older man quickly scooped Will into his arms, carrying him bridal style to the bathroom for a shower; the couple laughing gleefully together.   
Sighing under the hot water, the two gently washed one another, unable to stop the parade of kisses that ensued. It was extremely hard to keep their hands off of one another. 

Hannibal wrapped his strong arms around the shorter man, kissing at his shoulder and neck as the suds ran off of their body.  
"Never leave Italy." Hannibal whispered, his voice playful despite the truth behind the statement. If he could keep this dear man and his daughter here forever, lounging in his large home, he would.   
It was a ridiculous fantasy, one that he knew would never come true even if he used all of his tactics and tricks, Will would still have to return to Virginia, leaving home lonesome. 

"Mm, I wish I could. Jack would kill me." He sighed, stepping out from the hot stream of water to grab a towel, half-drying his hair before wrapping it securely around his middle.  
Leaving would be hard, he only had over a week left here and thinking about the flight home brought a familiar tightness to his throat. He pushed it away again, not wanting to ruin their brilliant morning with pointless tears.   
Hannibal handed the other man a red knitted jumper, "Here, you can wear this, I'll get you a pair of bottoms." He smiled before disappearing. 

Will pulled on the soft jumper, enjoying the scent that lingered on it. Old spice and lavender. Hannibal. 

The two finished getting dressed in comfortable lounging clothes, heading into the corridor only to be met with a groggy Abigail.   
"Mornin' Papa...hi Hanni!" She beamed, the Elk she held in her hand dropping to the floor as she ran over to hug both of the men's legs, looking up at the with her big eyes and messy curls. 

Hannibal insisted on making them breakfast that morning. Abigail insisted on helping.   
The Lithuanian man rested her on his hips, allowing her to mix or chop with his guidance. Will watched on with a happy smile, sipping on a cup of rich coffee.

If only time could be frozen.


	6. I wish I’d never met you.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio spend the final week in Florence together, cramming in as much time as they can until...something slips from Hannibal’s lips and he wishes he could take it back almost instantly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pure angst in this one.   
> I really dont like this chapter, but I hope y’all do <3

The following days were the definition of domestic bliss. Will and Abigail spent hardly any time in their hotel room, spending most of their days with the older man, enjoying one another's company without a care in the world. 

Will found himself laughing more than he ever had before, the corners of his mouth sore from the constant smiling, tummy strained from the excessive laughing. He loved it. A continuous warmth spread all over his chest, keeping him heated even in the cold evenings spent out on the balcony. 

He loved the nights on the balcony.  
Hannibal would stand behind him, with his arms wrapped tightly around Will, chin resting on his shoulder as they admired the stars. Occasionally pointing out constellations if he could remember any.   
Those strong arms made the younger man shiver, pressing back into the heat, his fingers lacing with Hannibal's every chance he got. 

Hannibal indulged himself also.   
Cooking nightly for his two guests. His two guests.   
This wasn't permanent.   
He could pretend it was.   
He would cook only the best dishes for them. Watching with tenderness as the profiler smiled and praised his delicate hand and exquisite pallet, cooing softly at the mess Abigail often made. The older man often hosted dinner parties, big and grand events with his friends from the Opera or work colleagues; they all felt empty in comparison.   
Nothing would be able to top this; it was a sad realisation.   
The knowledge that Will would return to Virginia and continue with his life as normal brought a heavy feeling over the man, one he didn't like. 

He knew Will would eventually forget about him, their time was short and temporary; not long enough to affect him forever.   
A month at most.   
The last few nights he had been sneaking more glances at the younger man, taking more pictures of him, with him. He could feel their time together slipping through his fingers like sand, and he couldn't catch it back up quick enough. Everything was breaking and he was unable to bring it back together again. Hannibal wasn't usually this sensitive.   
This FBI agent had him wrapped so tightly around his finger, he didn't even know it. 

The older man made it a point to spoil both of them during their last few days. He enjoyed taking Abigail to boutiques, filled with dainty dresses and other girly outfits, allowing her to pick two or three each time they went. Even though Will insisted that he didn't need to spend his money on them, he did it anyway.   
It filled him with a certain feeling he hadn't felt since his childhood. Since Mischa.   
He wanted to protect this innocent little thing from the horrors of the world, even if he was terribly wicked himself. 

He had thought about killing someone, displaying them, so Will would have to stay and assist the officers. That was ridiculous, unethical and selfish. Will wasn't his pet, they weren't promised to one another, he had absolutely no right to keep him there with him. The profiler had his own life, friends, job, hobbies...Hannibal was just a background character in a short scene of his life. 

How could a stupid, awkward man fill him up with emotions to the point of combustion? 

He wanted to get mad at him, yell at him, tell him to go back to his hotel room every single time he felt that heat, but he couldn't. He couldn't shout at that sweet man. The thought of instilling fear in Will didn't excite him in the same way it usually might with his victims.   
Hannibal was a grown man, so why did he feel like a lovesick teenager?  
It was rude and unfair.   
This could have all been avoided if he hadn't been so keen to show them Florence, if he hadn't kissed Will.   
Part of him wished he could go back to the gallery and shoo away the young girl before Will had the chance to talk to him. 

Will had picked up on this behaviour change. He had picked up on the man staring at him with an unrecognisable look in his dark eyes, words dancing on the tip of his tongue but never finding the courage to sing. They hadn't known one another long at all, but Will was incredible at reading people.   
On another cool evening on the balcony, a few days before Will was scheduled to leave, he finally asked,   
"Is everything okay, Hannibal?" The words were spoken softly, not wanting to scare him away. 

It was so softly spoken, Hannibal almost didn't hear him.   
"Hmm?" He chuckled, nosing messy curls, "I'm fine, just thinking about going back to work." A lie. A small lie, but still a lie nonetheless. Hannibal hardly ever felt bad about lying, it was part of his daily routine, but he felt awful for this one. 

The profiler knew it was a lie, the other must-have forgotten what he did for a living.  
"Don't lie to me," scolded Will, giving the man's hands a tight squeeze, "tell the truth, please?"

"Fine." He grumbled, moving his face into the warm crook of the younger man's neck. "I suppose...I'm not looking forward to you leaving, that is all." He finally finished, sighing softly. It was strange to admit, just a few weeks ago he had sworn to stay alone, and now that he had Will...he didn't want to let go. 

The admission brought a sympathetic sigh from the brunette, turning around to face the older man, hands cupping warm cheeks.   
"I'm not too excited to be going back either, but I have to, Abigail is due back at school and I'm due back at the embassy, if I could stay...I would." He rubbed the man's cheekbone gently, looking into those secretive eyes. 

Hannibal chuckled, brushing his lips against Will's with a hum, kissing him briefly.   
"I wish I had never met you..." he whispered against the other's lips, smiling softly. 

Of course, the older man had meant for that to sound sweet and charming, his tone of voice making that clear, but Will didn't seem to agree. 

He pulled back, dark brows knitted together in annoyance and upset, "What?" He asked pointedly, head tilted. Wil felt his cheeks and ears heat up, the feeling negative and sore. Why would Hannibal even say that to him? Had he wasted these almost three weeks on this man?   
"Will..." the older man sighed, reaching out a hand only to have it shoved away, "I didn't mean it like that, you know I didn't." He tried to soothe. It wasn't any use. 

Without another word, the young, fiery man had left the balcony, heading to the guest room where his daughter slept.   
He wouldn't sleep with Hannibal that night; instead, he curled up in the spare bed next to his daughter. Will wasn't even tired, not even drowsy, he just couldn't look at the man.   
Those words hurt a lot more than he would've liked, even if they were meant as a joke they still stung like a shallow wound; if it wasn't so late, he would have gone back to his hotel room. 

The older man huffed, rubbing his face dramatically, stood alone on the cold balcony. When had it gotten this cold? It never felt cold when he had Will in his arms.   
"I'm sorry..." he mumbled to himself, locking the balcony before heading to his bedroom, head hung in shame.   
Hannibal tossed and turned, his silk sheets wrapping around him viciously, making him feel claustrophobic.

No sleep was had that night for either party. 

When morning came, his part-time lover was gone. He wasn't in bed, on the balcony, in the kitchen, he was nowhere to be seen.   
Hannibal huffed.   
He had really ruined this right before Will was about to leave, had he really soured the man's whole entire trip with just a few words? 

He felt deflated. His words weren't supposed to come out that way, they were never meant to be taken in the way Will took them. The older man wasn't quick to regret things or feel guilt, those feelings were rare for him, but they flooded him the whole morning, pushing him down. 

"Why you crying, Papa?" Abigail asked softly, her little hand tugging on her father's trouser leg. His sniffling and whimpering worried her, she didn't understand why he was like this, but the feeling came nonetheless. 

The profiler smiled, his large hand ruffling her curls gently, "Nothin's wrong, darlin' just stubbed my toe is all." He lied, scooping her into his arms, pressing her head to his warm chest.   
Will hated being upset. He hated how much it brought out his stupid accent, how it made his eyes bloodshot and hands shake. He especially hated how it affected his girl, the worry pressed to her brow made his heart sink. Burying his nose in her sweet-smelling hair, he let out a small dry-sob, screwing his eyes shut.   
Maybe he was being a little dramatic, the man hadn't meant to hurt his feelings, but it hurt so bad. 

Rejection was something Will found himself the most scared of, being shut out or told to go away. Ever since his fiancé, ever since the thought of Abigail leaving him, he has been terrified of it. Hearing it had just made it worst. 

'I wish I had never met you.' Those words rang out in his mind, vicious and sneering. 

Even thinking about it made the mans stomach knot, his organs searching for a place to run and hide. He forced himself to focus on the present, on Abigail, on their suitcases.   
"C'mon sweet pea, help Papa pack up our stuff. Can you do that?" He hummed, laughing softly when her small hands wiped the tears from his face, nodding enthusiastically.  
Abigail happily jumped down and helped her father, wrapping herself around his legs every chance she got until she felt it was enough. 

It worked a little, he couldn't save himself from laughing every time she did it, giving her a pat on the head as a 'thank you'. If anyone knew about how damaging it was to dwell on things, it would be Will. 

'Just go home and forget all about this.' He thought to himself, zipping up his suitcase, leaving some clothes out for the next day. He would miss his hotel room, it was far warmer and comfier than his room in Wolftrap, perhaps it was time to invest in a real bed.   
He would also miss the lack of responsibility. In Italy, there was nothing in the balance, no lives at stake, no villains to catch. 

Most importantly, there was no Jack. 

Will spent the rest of the morning and afternoon doting over his darling daughter, taking them both out for lunch and ice cream. He had lost count how many times they had gotten ice cream during the past three weeks, that would have to stop when they got back home.   
Reflecting on it, Will decided that coming to Italy was a bad idea. He should've stayed in Wolftrap and simply taken a few weeks off of work to spend time with Abigail, none of this would have happened in Wolftrap. 

The agent continued to reflect all the way up until they got to the airport the following evening, his happy expression falsified.   
He could feel tears brimming, burning his eyes, threatening to spill down his cheeks as he went through security. He felt ridiculous, Hannibal was just a man, a stranger.   
He felt ashamed in himself for allowing Hannibal to break down walls he had worked so hard to build in the last five years. People had tried before, and he always stayed strong, until some pretentious professor waltzes in and takes him by storm. 

'Are you ready, darlin'?" He hummed to Abigail, swallowing the tears and sadness, hiding them away for later.   
He could cry later, in the safety of his pull-out bed, once Abigail was fast asleep.   
God, how sad and pathetic he felt. This trip truly was a mistake...but at least he had his memories with Abigail. 

"I don't wanna go, Papa." She whined, burying her face in the security of her father, arms wrapped around his neck. Will sighed, giving her back a little pat before, wordlessly, boarding the plane. 

Hannibal's Bentley came to a halt with a loud screech, haphazardly parking before he jumped out, running toward the entrance. 

Five minutes to spare.

He looked around wildly for a moment, brushing the hair from his face as he scanned the room, searching for that sweet mess of curls. 

Four minutes.

There he was. The older man wasted no time in running over to the man, a smile of relief on his face.   
"Will-" he froze when he pulled the man around, smile dropping to the floor along with his jaw. 

Three minutes.

"I think you have the wrong person," the stranger chuckled, British accent filled with amusement more than annoyance, "apologies." He nodded, fixing his scarf before moving away.

Two minutes.

Hannibal picked his jaw back up from the floor, unfolding from inside of himself. That poor man had looked so much like Will, it hurt to even see him walk away.   
He looked down at his watch, a stabbing pain flooding his heart. 

One minute. 

He ran over to the front desk, hand slamming down on the desk as he tried to force out a polite smile.   
"Has the evening flight to Baltimore left yet?" He must've sounded desperately frantic from the woman's pitiful reaction. 

"I'm sorry, Sir," those words stung, she wasn't even done talking yet, "I'm afraid that plane just departed...I can book you in for the next flight though, free of charge!" She offered kindly.  
Hannibal shook his head and sighed, allowing the tears that had been brimming to fall down his flushed cheeks.   
"It wasn't for me...thank you." 

Hannibal had to take a few moments to collect himself before heading back to the car, taking out his pathetic frustrations on his steering wheel.   
He yelled at no one, gripping the wheel until his knuckles had turned white.   
Why didn't he leave sooner? Or move quicker?   
This wasn't his plan. This wasn't his design. He had absolutely no intention of letting Will return to Virginia how they had left off, and now there was nothing he could do. 

That night, Florence felt his rage. The FBI, all the way in Quantico would feel his rage. Will Graham would feel his rage, his raw emotion. 

Will wouldn't know, but he would read about it, he would thank whatever God that they left Florence beforehand. Will would read about it. About him. About how he truly felt.


	7. Human love letter.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will returns home, and throughout the following year he attempts to forget about what he left in Florence. Who he left in Florence. 
> 
> Hannibal tries too, but it’s hard to give up once you’ve decided what you want.

Like Hannibal predicted, it took a little while for the news to reach Quantico, Will's office. 

The profiler was sat at his desk, trying to sift through the victim files and case updates that Jack had insisted that he do, finding himself getting distracted.   
All hopes of looking at his important work went out the window when he got a notification on his IPad...a new Tattle Crime article? Why was he _still_ getting notifications?   
That was something he could figure out later, he was far too interested in the article.

_**'Human love letter, Florence, Italy.'** _

The pictures didn't shock Will, he Found himself thinking they were quite beautiful, poetic in a way. He had seen enough gore for two lifetimes.   
A man's body, turned inside out, broken, contorted into an anatomically correct heart. It was beautiful, a perfect display of macabre romance.   
The heart was left in the same gallery he and Abigail had visited around four months ago, set in front of the Primavera...just where he met...

Will stopped himself before he could even think of the man's name. They had no connection. This stranger's death was nothing to do with him, and nothing to do with the man he left in Florence.   
Nothing.   
It took a while to convince himself that this had nothing to do with him, the snide and vicious voice of doubt worming it's way between his good thoughts, blocking them out the best he could.   
Which was quite hard, especially with Jack around, throwing the toys from his pram when he realised he had no jurisdiction.   
He couldn't do anything but wait for another article to pop up. 

"This has happened before, right here!" He would yell, large fist pounding into the poor wooden desk where he sat, making Will flinch a little. 

"There's no way to prove they're the same person, give it up Jack, there are more pressing issues going on here." Will huffed, taking off his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose. 

There was no way to please Jack, every chance the man got he would bombard Will with questions and theories. It was all too much.   
Jack had become dependant on his mind whenever he wanted a question answered, coming to him or calling him late at night like he was a search engine or book, he had to try his hardest not to snap at the man.   
He was so sick of being used, no longer did he enjoy his work with Jack, it was draining him. 

He lay in bed, a few months after reading the article, Abigail on his chest (she was getting a little big to sleep there now, but Will still let her without question), thinking about all the details.   
It was hard staying away from Hannibal in his thoughts, always drifting back to the man, standing right in front of the Primavera.   
Even in the darkest corners of his mind, Hannibal was handsome, all perfect suits and charming smiles.   
There was no way it could be him, it was just...a coincidence, although he didn't believe in coincidences much.   
The romantic and poetic messages behind the presentation of the body wouldn't leave Will's troubled mind, often waking him in the middle of the night.   
It was eating at him. 

Even back in Wolftrap, almost seven months later, Hannibal was still in his mind. 

Will did his best. He tried his hardest. Cropping the man from all of their group photos, deleting his number - even going as far as blocking it...nothing ever worked.   
When he looked at the photos, Abigail beaming on his hip, his eyes always drifted to the corner where strong fingers gripped him. Just the tips of those talented fingers were enough to bring tears to the pools of his eyes, but he never let them spill. Spilling meant he still cared, and he didn't, he couldn't. 

As soon as he arrived home from Florence, the younger man worked hard to plague his mind of everything Hannibal.   
God knows how many times he washed his shirts to get his smell out, how many pictures he deleted, how many showers he took until he was certain the man's touch was truly gone.

Still, he found himself reaching out for a warm body that would never be there, curling into a mess of pillows until he fell back asleep. Under hot water he found himself tracing his body in the same way Hannibal did. Fingers shaky as tears spilt down his hot face, gripping at his flesh until it hurt and his knuckles had turned white.   
No one could ever make him feel the same way the Lithuanian man did, he didn't want anyone else. 

It was like his fiancé all over again, but this time he was mourning someone who was still alive. How pathetic.   
Will was a fool to even think they would've worked out. 

The hardest part of all this was Abigail.   
It hurt Will that he was unable to answer her questions about Hannibal. She was a curious and smart girl, always aware of when something was wrong with her Papa, curling up in his lap to ask what the matter was. To ask where the nice man went. Where all the pictures of them went. To ask her Papa why he was so sad.   
Will would simply hold her and laugh, writing it off as a hard day at work or an upset tummy when he had one of his worse days.   
It stung when she would demand to wear the clothes Hannibal had bought for her in Florence.   
Who was he to say no to her?   
Watching her dance and play in those dresses pulled at his heartstrings, sharp nails wrapping around his beating heart, ready to rip it out. He would allow his eyes to glaze over, slipping into the stream of his mind to rid himself of all things...him. 

Not even getting a damn dog helped. 

Maybe it helped a little bit. Will finally had something to cuddle in bed now that Abigail had her own room and her own bed, the dog actually helped him sleep a little better.   
He had found the small dog on the side of the road, shivering in the snow, there was no way he would've let himself leave it there. He had to be careful, collecting strays couldn't become a habit. 

Hannibal found a great amount of pleasure in seeing that his work had spread precisely where he wanted it to. All the way to where he knew Will would read it. 

Perhaps it was a little dramatic, ripping the life from under someone just to send out a message, but the man couldn't help but indulge in dramatism every once in a while. The older man just hoped Will would like the newest gift he had made.   
He had worked extra hard, plucking out all her organs to fill them with flowers from the field he had visited with the profiler. Leaving her body to lay beautifully next to the stream. Picking locations they had visited was very cliche, something he didn't often like, he felt as though it was tasteless...but he wanted Will to have a reaction when he read about it. To think of them, of him, to ache and yearn for something he didn't know he still wanted.   
It was wrong, but whatever to cope. 

After all, Will made his body burn and heartache, so why couldn't he do the same back? It was horrendous to suffer alone, but this way, he knew that he wouldn't. Somewhere, far away, the man who left him would be broken up about this. About the innocent people, he couldn't save. About the macabre romance. About Hannibal. 

All those nights he spent alone, wrapped in his own arms, stood on the balcony would be worth it in the end.   
His bed felt like an ocean without Will; empty and vast, ready to swallow him up. He too found himself reaching for a body that wasn't there on most nights, waking up with a heart heavy with disappointment.

  
Every lonesome glass of wine or whiskey he drank had a purpose, filling him up with liquid courage until he finally put pen to paper. 

  
_' Dear Will,_   
_It has been far too long, almost a year now, I apologise for not getting in contact sooner._ _However, I am writing to you now...hopefully, that is enough._

_I often find myself thinking about you, dear Will, whether I am busy or alone. My mind is full of only you._   
_I'll find myself walking, looking, lounging, and then you will wander into my mind, uninvited. Your smell still lingers on my pillow case, not matter how often i replace them. The accent you hate so much still floods my ears every now and then. I get hopeful, for a moment, that you have returned...and then I wake up. I have memorised your face and body, every curve and scar, each delicate curl that framed your cherubic face. Just like I've memorised every single stroke of Botticelli's work._

_Do you remember the gallery? I do._

_almost every night I'll find myself, glass in hand, drinking on my lonesome balcony. I'll wrap my arms around myself and pretend that you are here, with me, sometimes I will go into my mind palace to find you. But, you're nothing more than a whisper, a memory, dear Will._

_Noting but a faintness in my mind._

_I wish you well. I wish you both well. Perhaps we may see one another again, I'll let you figure that one out...clever boy._

_Yours truly.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is kind of short!  
> I decided to split this one in half...leave yall on a cliffhanger! :)


	8. Do you remember?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a whole year and an ‘anonymous’ letter, Will finds himself still hung up on the older man.  
> But...what will Hannibal do to fix his upset?

Tears streamed as he read the letter, reading it over and over again. Reading the words made his whole body shake, slamming his hand over his face to hide a muffled sob, biting down on his palm. Why did he have to open it at work? His own impatience had caused a rather public breakdown. 

Of course, he knew who had written the letter, even if it had no name at the bottom. All the vague specifics. All the faint mentions of memories. It couldn't be anyone else, there was no way - Will hadn't even told Alana all this stuff. 

He felt too warm, too cramped in the confines of his office, body suddenly covered in a thin salty sheen.   
Seeing the man's writing made his stomach churn, acid rising up his throat until he swallowed it back down, whimpering softly. He couldn't help reading it a fourth, fifth, sixth time until the words were engraved in his mind until he remembered it from heart. Until the words were seared into his brain so that when he closed his eyes, they were all he could see.   
Until he could hear them being spoken to him in that same deep, accented voice he had come to love a year ago. 

This was unbelievable. How dare Hannibal wait this long to get into contact with him. Who did he think he was?   
Will was almost over the man, or so he convinced himself, and all this did was reopen the deep, bleeding wound. It felt like a knife was plunged into his abdomen, gutting him, allowing all his organs to simply fall to his feet. Waiting patiently to be sent six-feet under with the rest of his sorrowful body.   
Everything was for too much, he had to get out of his office. 

Will called Alana, shakily asking her to pick Abigail up from school and look after her for a few hours. He needed to be alone more than anything, having Abigail see him like this would be awful. He gripped his steering wheel tightly as he drove back home, his vision cloudy, tears dampening his hot cheeks.   
The warmth of his little house couldn't come sooner, wrapping him up comfortingly.   
Will threw his coat to the ground and removed his shoes, falling right into his bed next to Rusty, letting out a loud sob into his pillow. 

His whole chest hurt, heaving to accommodate his heavy sobs, letter gripped in his sweaty palms. All he could do was cry.   
Letting out incoherent words between his sobs, pushing away the tears to read the ether once again, curled up on his side in his large bed.   
Will regretted upgrading his bed from the small pull-out to a large king bed, it all felt so empty and hard now, even Rusty was being swallowed up. Rusty curled up next to his owner, wet nose nudging at his arm with a little whine, sensing upset.  
The young man placed the letter down, scratching behind his loyal companion's ear. 

"Wh-What am I gonna do?" He asked through a weak sob, pushing hair from his face. There, of course, was no answer...but Will found solace in the dog's warm fur.   
What was he going to do? There was no return address, no way of directly contacting Hannibal. All he could do was read and read until his eyes grew sore and eyelids fluttered closed. 

  
Rest wouldn't hurt. A small nap would be good for him, his day was overwhelming even before the letter landed itself on his desk. Sleeping would at least make him forget about the letter for a little. 

  
Behind his closed eyes, Will could see the man; sitting at his desk, silver hair falling into his face. He watched on, simply a figure in the shadows, as Hannibal carefully constructed each letter of each word with a fountain pen.   
He could see the man on his balcony, holding himself, sad expression pressed to that handsome face.   
Then...Then he could see him, in the field, gently placing that poor dead woman by the stream. He could see Hannibal displaying the heart in front of the Primavera, standing back in awe at his marvellous work. 

Will shot awake when he heard knocking on the door, looking at his alarm clock next to the bed.   
Alana and Abigail. 

"Thank you, 'Lana." He hummed, opening the door to gently shoo his daughter inside. Will's lightly accented voice sounded hoarse and riddled with sadness.   
Alana knew there was something wrong, she could see it in the man's eyes, looking like a wounded dear; but she didn't press. They could talk about it when Will decided he was ready, Alana trusted that he would open up when he felt his safest.   
Will appreciated it, he didn't want to talk about it in front of his sweet girl, especially when she had so much fun with her adoptive aunts. 

The pair spent the rest of the evening on the sofa, watching cartoons as they slurped on homemade soup. Will toyed with his girl's hair, breathing in her soft scent in hopes it would distract him from the letter lying on his pillowcase.   
It didn't distract him long, his mind wandering back to the words on the ivory paper. 

'Do you remember the gallery? I do.' 

Those words fell into the deep pit of Will's stomach, churning and lurching inside of him.  
Was Hannibal making a reference to their first meeting of the body discovered in front of the Primavera? Was he taunting Will? Bringing the idea that he was the killer into Will's tired mind.   
He had suspected, his thoughts becoming much more convincing when the second body showed up not too long ago.   
Freddie Lounds was always quick to cover a story, looking for more subscribers to her subpar articles. She wasn't a woman of moral high ground or taste.  
  
The poor woman draped so gracefully over the riverbank, her body stuffed with agonisingly beautiful flowers, stuck in Will's mind like he was there when the life left her eyes. Like he had killed her himself.

Will had always dealt with dark thoughts, chalking them up to the type of work that he did, murder was a daily occurrence for him...so it only made sense. It made sense until the thoughts followed him home, into his dreams, into his daily thoughts. Will could see himself there, bending the body of the man behind the heart, slicing open the beautifully tragic girl's body. He liked it, he didn't want to like it, it was all Hannibals fault...if he was the one behind all of this. 

He had to be, it was the only thing that made sense.   
The gallery, the Primavera. The field and the river. They had been there, together, as one. The field is where they shared their first kiss, the most intimate kiss Will's plush lips had ever felt before.   
Sometimes.   
He still felt the ghost of the older man's kiss on his lips, tongue dipping into his mouth, teeth pulling on the sensitive skin of his kiss-bruised bottom lip.   
As quickly as he felt it, it went away, leaving him with a hollow feeling in his chest. 

Will was tainted now. Hannibal was aware of that, he was aware of it when sending the letter.   
He knew how it would make the younger man feel as he peeled back the wax seal, unfolded the thick ivory paper and read his beautifully written words.   
He knew how Will would cry, just like he had on his way back from the airport all those many months ago.   
He knew how much it would hurt, but sent it anyway.   
Will had to know how he was feeling, how much he thought of the other man, how much his mind and body ached for him endlessly. 

Oh, how he ached for the man. How his body physically ached every time he stumbled across forgotten pictures on his phone. Closing his eyes to imagine those dainty fingers on his muscles, dancing over scars Hannibal had almost forgotten that he had.   
Hannibal's heart felt as though it was stopping every time he sat on that balcony, it was unhealthy, but it was his favourite place to hide in his mind palace.   
There was a place for Will in every room, certain rooms made exclusively for them and Abigail, a place for all of them to be together without troubles. 

Was...he in love? Hannibal hadn't loved anyone since Mischa. He hadn't seen the curly-haired brunette in a whole year, yet his heart threatened to burst each time he thought of Will. 

The older man was fed up of all this. Fed up of feeling miserable. Of crying. Of taking out his anger on innocent residents of Florence.   
He had to do something about it, he had to. Once his mind was set on something, Hannibal found it hard to give up until he had what he wanted. 

\------------

"Be good for aunty Alana and Margot for me, sweet pea." Will chuckled, giving his daughter a kiss on the forehead.   
Abigail had pleaded all week to have a sleepover with Morgan, the Vergers son, and he just couldn't say no to those bright puppy-dog eyes. 

"Bye Papa! Miss ya." She waved from her position in the car, lowering her hand once Will had closed the car door.   
He stood and watched the car drive off, Rusty sat by his feet, making sure they had left safely. 

"C'mon boy... let's go have a beer, huh?" He chucked and headed inside, closing the door once his little friend had joined him.   
Will grabbed a beer from the fridge, nursing the fire quickly before he took a seat in his armchair, happily inviting the Jack Russell to sit on his knee.   
It was cosy, the fire heating up his feet whilst Rusty kept his legs warm, the beer settling in his stomach to warm him from the inside. Will felt his eyes getting heavy, being soothed by the inviting warmth that filled his whole house. He had needed this. A little time away from being a full-time dad and a whole weekend away from the FBI, from Jack. 

Will was almost completely asleep before a loud, urgent knock pulled him from his dazed state. He was livid, he imagined Jack stood behind the door with that stupid look on his face, asking Will to accompany him to a crime scene as if he could say no.   
"Jack, I'll kill you for waking me up!" He yelled, gently pushing the sleeping dog from his lap, placing the warm bottle of beer on the mantel.   
He grumbled annoyedly as he made his way over to the door. Will frowned when he saw the outline, it wasn't Jack, too tall and slender to be his boss. 

His heart stopped, breath hitching in his throat as he pulled open his front door.   
Will couldn't breathe, he couldn't even think as he looked at the man in front of him, eyes bright and wide...suddenly filled with hot tears. 

"Lucky for me, I'm not Jack." Hannibal chuckled softly, his accented voice flooding Will's ears, deafening him.   
Will couldn't take his eyes off of the man, scanning his eyes his long coat and scarf, patterned suit peeking out from under the warm fabric. Hannibal's silver hair framed his face wonderfully, blonde brows knitted together - he too had tears in his eyes.

"Han-," he swallowed thickly, blinking so hard that tears began to fall down his flushed cheeks. Will was shaking, his knees threatening to give up on him, bottom lip worrying as he tried to speak. Despite his sad look, Will looked beautiful - chocolatey curls a mess, dressed in comfortable clothes.   
"What...What the /fuck/ are you..you doin'?" He finally stammered out, sobbing dryly at the end of his question.

Will couldn't even think straight in the moment, his mind clouding over, ridding him of any rational thought.   
Was this real? Or was this another one of his dreams, where he would wake up any second in tears? He pinched his arm until he felt something, deciding that it wasn't a dream. Hannibal was there, as clear as day, tears falling down his sharp cheekbones as he thought of how to reply. 

"I'm here for...for work, teaching in Baltimore for a few months." It was true, he was there to teach as well as learn, but he would be there more than a few months. He would be there for a while academic term, maybe longer.   
Hannibal stepped closer, his gloved hand reaching out to wipe the tears from the other's face, smiling gently at him.   
He couldn't stop himself, it had been a whole year since he had even seen the man, let alone touched him. 

"Get changed, Will, I would like to take you to dinner. I'm sure we have a lot of catching up to do. Would you be okay with that?" The older man asked gently, letting go of his face, dark eyes still trained on Will's light pair. 

Will nodded slowly, smiling back slightly, "Yes, I...I can do that, just...give me a few minutes." He replied, chuckling softly. 

"I'll wait in the car for you, keep it warm." The man nodded toward his Bentley that was parked next to Will's car. It looked good parked next to the other's car like it belonged there. 

The younger man watched Hannibal return to his car before dashing to his bedroom to pull on black slacks, a white button-down, and his nice shoes. He hadn't gotten dressed this fast in such a long time, glad he was able to button his shirt perfectly first time around. He fixed his hair and brushed his teeth quickly, ridding his mouth of the smell of stale beer.   
God, his heart was pounding, assaulting his rib cage with a violent tremor whilst it threatened to jump out of his mouth. 

"I'm sorry, Rusty...I'll see you soon bud." He placed a chew bone onto the floor for the dog to busy himself with whilst he was gone.   
Will headed to the car, pulling his long coat on as he did so, slipping into the passenger seat.

There was no awkward air. Instead, unspoken truths and poems filled the warm car, both of them could feel it, could taste the words on the tip of their tongue as Hannibal begun to drive. 

Why did he so eagerly agree to this? Getting into the car of a man that, a year ago, had hurt him so deeply...even if it was unintentional.   
Getting into the car of a possible killer.   
He couldn't say no to Hannibal, there was something about him that rid Will's vocabulary of the word. 

When they arrived at the restaurant in a part of town the young man had never been to, Hannibal opened the car door for him, a little smile on his face.

"We have much to catch up on, dear Will."


	9. Inevitable entanglement.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Hannibal catch up over dinner - Hannibals treat.   
> Old feelings blood back and destroy walls Will had hilt himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW warning towards the end! Please enjoy :)

"You know I went to the airport to find you, Will," Hannibal confessed after taking a sip from his wine. The restaurant was expensive-looking and elegant, a place that Will would have never chosen. "Your plane had already taken off."

He blinked away tears, hiding his worrying lip behind the large glass. "I..." Will cleared his throat, "I didn't know, why didn't you call? You had so long to call me..." 

The man reached his hand out, fingers brushing against the man's strong knuckles, touch warm and sweet. "I couldn't reach you when you tried to call...I figured you had blocked my number." Hannibal sighed, remembering how angry he had gotten at his phone when the call wouldn't connect, even going as far to throw it at the wall in anguish.   
Truthfully, a letter was far more meaningful to the man, it showed how much he truly cared for the brunette in front of him. It was intimate. 

Suddenly, Will regretted being so fast in blocking and deleting the man's number, maybe if he hadn't things would be different. Perhaps, this dinner would have happened months ago.   
"I'm sorry, I-" he started, but was silenced when Hannibal squeezed his hand, silently letting him know it was okay. 

The pair ordered - which took a while for Will, feeling as though he was spoilt for choice. The food was delicious, amazingly cooked and better than anything the profiler had eaten in a very long time. Will enjoyed how warm it made him feel, paired with the wine and the constant eye contact the pair held.   
He had missed those dark, fiery eyes. Missed how they made him blush, and the corners of his eyes crinkle in a smile. 

After a while, when desert had been delivered, Will finally asked the pressing question, "Was that you? The Primavera...T-The field?"   
The question was asked in a soft whisper. The man's light eyes were trained on Hannibal, intently waiting for the answer. Although Will already knew the answer, he simply needed his thoughts confirmed.   
"If it were me, would you run and tell Jack Crawford?" The other man questioned in response, swallowing a mouthful of sweet dessert. 

No, even though Will knew it was wrong, the idea of telling Jack never crossed his mind. 

"I won't, Hannibal, I couldn't." The words were genuine, Hannibal knew that.   
"Then...yes, I thought you might find out. No, I knew you would...clever boy." He winked, whispering his words as if it were a secret, only for the profilers ears.   
The confirmation made the younger man shudder, flooding his body with an emotion that felt so wrong.  
Hunger and jealousy.   
He was jealous that the older man was able to embrace the darkness inside of him without any worry in the world. It was a truly admirable thing.   
Will found himself blushing softly, the displays were intended for him and no one else. It was a different type of romantic gesture...one Will found deeply endearing. 

The conversation was dropped then, no words needing to be exchanged on the subject. 

"Am I forgiven, dear?" The older mans asked once they had stepped back into the cold and deep snow, gloved hand caressing that cherubic face.   
Will softened at the touch, pretending to have his guard up was useless around the man. His words and touch bulldozed every wall he had built, right to the ground. 

He nodded slowly, sniffling, "Am I?" Will whispered back.   
The question was answered with a soft kiss, their pink lips ghosting together for a fraction of a second. Will's heart stopped, beating rapidly at the kiss, his body flooding with butterflies all over again.   
The younger man laced his fingers in silver hair, deepening the kiss eagerly, sighing. When they pulled away, Will felt that his cheeks had gotten wet. Had he been crying this whole time? From just a simple kiss from a man, he hadn't seen in over a year? 

"Where are you staying?" Will questioned, hanging his coat up once they were back inside the warmth of his small home. Rusty had fallen asleep in front of the fire, exhausted from gnawing at the bone for a few hours. It was adorable.   
The house was oddly quiet without the patter of Abigail's feet coming to greet them, Will was already missing his sweet girl. 

Hannibal's examined the house.   
Just as he imagined, it was cosy and small, perfect for him and Abigail...plus their new friend.  
He took off and hung up his own coat before replying, "I'm renting a home in Baltimore for now, I only had enough time to unpack before I came to see you."   
Baltimore?   
Will felt himself getting giddy at that, the man was so close to him now, just a drive. No ocean. No airport, just a drive, hardly even an hour and he could be with the man.   
It was hard not to get over himself, not to become overwhelmed at the man's presence. 

All this time, all these months of shoving down emotions and swallowing tears, both men found themselves entangled in one another.   
They sat in the large armchair, Hannibal's fingers racking through soft curls, twirling them around his fingers. It just felt so right, so normal to be with one another, curled up in warm limbs.   
Will indulged himself in the other's scent; old spice and lavender. It was something he missed so dearly, but now he could have it for as long as he pleased...or at least until Hannibal had to return after his teaching.   
Their fingers laced together, thick and dainty fingers melting into one another, a perfect match. Everything about their bodies were a perfect match; size, curves and bends. 

  
Will happily listened as Hannibal filled him in on everything he had missed, absentmindedly playing with his hair or rubbing his thumb over the younger man's knuckles. The professor's voice was wonderful to listen to, his thick accent as velvety as he had remembered, voice low and sweet.   
The chatter came easily, almost as if a year hadn't passed and they were the best of friends - more than friends. 

Their feelings for one another were undeniable, sparks of electricity jumped off of them like a live-wire, both Hannibal and Will were smitten. 

  
"Does it not..scare you knowing what I am capable of?" Hannibal whispered, kissing the shell of the younger man's ears with adoring lips.   
He thought about it for a moment, finding himself unable to find a reason that would scare him, Will had seen so much in his lifetime.   
"No...I know that you wouldn't do that to me, I thought your work was gorgeous, Hannibal. I can definitely say no one has ever made me an anatomically correct heart from a human before." The last sentence was said playfully, followed by a chuckle.   
Like it had in Florence, the alcohol they had during dinner had brought out the sweet drawl of Will's southern accent, bringing a smile to the older man's thin lips. 

Will's admission brought another smile to his face, glad he would not have to do something he would regret. Will had seen him, seen what he was, and still chose to stay.   
A hole that had been left in his heart after the death of darling Mischa was slowly patching itself up. He would love to show Will the darkness of his own mind, what he was capable of, the power he held in those dainty hands of his.   
The image of Will drenched in dark blood made his heart race, picturing all the blood and gore made him feel as bough he would be sent over the edge.   
Will was his lamb, his innocent lamb. 

  
Inevitably, their lips became tangled once again, moving slow and soft.   
The intimacy was painfully good, sending gentle waves of pleasure through both bodies.  
Will get out a soft gasp when the other man picked him up bridal style, smiling down at him cheekily as he carried him to the bedroom. He was just as light and easy to carry as Hannibal had remembered, he would savour this night - as far as Will wanted to take it. 

The younger man, once placed on his feet, unbuttoned his shirt slowly.   
"We don't have to...I'm happy to just kiss you, my dear boy." Hannibal hummed softly, brushing chocolate curls behind the other's ear slowly.

"I want to, I want you to touch me, Hannibal..." the younger man whispered in return, slipping the white fabric from his shoulders. He lifted his hands back up to undo Hannibal's tie and buttons so they would be at the same level of nakedness.   
Will was gorgeous, his body exactly how the older man remembered it; soft but strong. His fingers traced over the same scar it had their first time seeing one another naked, using the same delicate touch. Hannibal liked the reaction it pulled from Will, basking in the sweetness of his small gasps.   
"I couldn't possibly deny you, handsome." The Lithuanian hummed, kissing bare shoulders adoringly. 

Soon, they were both naked, still stood up to admire one another. Hands exploring, lips ghosting over hot skin, tongues skimming across collar bones.   
Will took ahold of the taller man's hand, leading him to his large bed - Rusty would have to stay in the living room for the time being. 

"Get on your hands and knees, Will, trust me." Hannibal whispered as he placed open-mouthed kisses to the other's arms, shoulders and neck, sucking a small bruise. 

Will did as he was told, his flushed face pressing into the cool pillow as he arched his back beautifully, plush ass pushed into the air. Hannibal took a moment to admire the pose, his hand tracing down the small of his back, landing a gentle spank on to the plush skin. He hoped he would never lose this again. 

The younger man let out a shocked gasp when he felt a hot wetness at his entrance, pushing back instantly on the man's tongue.   
It was a strange sensation, no man he had been with had done it before. Hannibal's hands rubbed the other's thighs soothingly before moving to spread him apart, swirling and licking with talented tongue slowly. Soft, pale skin bled between the older man's fingers as he gave a harsh squeeze, followed by a firm slap as he pushed his tongue in deeper.   
Will mewled, moaning happily into the comfort of his pillow, his legs already shaking. 

"Oh...Haaannibal.-" Will whimpered, gasping even louder as a deft finger pushed into him. The profilers accent was sweet and heavy now, laced with pleasure, drawing out certain letters with a mewl.   
He was beginning to lose himself in pleasure, pressing back on the fingers that were almost brutally massaging his prostate.   
Hannibal pulled his fingers out after a while, kissing over the light rawness softly, admiring just how easily Will came undone.   
Will found himself silently thanking Alana for having Abigail for the weekend, he didn't have to hold anything back now they were alone. 

In one swift motion, Will moved to face the man, still on his hands and knees. Hannibal leant on his knees, gazing down at the other man, watching with lidded-eyes as the man licked up him. His fingers laced into the chocolatey curls, giving them an encouraging tug, desperate for the heat to engulf him.   
Will fulfilled the man's wishes, wrapping his plump lips around Hannibals cock the best he could; it had been a while since he'd done this.   
The young man's mouth was heavenly, wet and welcoming as he took him deeper. Soft moans and sighs filled the dimly lit bedroom, Hannibal gently guiding the other's head up and down slowly, savouring just how _good_ this all felt. Will was doing so well, taking him all the way in until his nose was pressed against the other's groin, gagging very softly. 

Before the older man got too carried away in his own pleasure, he pulled Will's head off, dipping down to catch those swollen lips in a sweet kiss. Their tongues tangled together, filling one another's mouths with happy moans, pulling away once their lungs began to burn from lack of air. 

  
"God H-" Will cried out, squeezing his eyes shut as the other thrust into him, bottoming out instantly. They both stayed still for a moment or two, Hannibal allowing the profiler to adjust to the feeling of being stretched. When he felt Will was ready, extra confirmation from the other, he began thrusting slow and hard.   
The brunette's face was pressed back to the pillow, large hands gripping his slim hips, his thrusts a little more intense but still slow. The glorious sounds his dear was making only encouraged Hannibal's movements, hitting the man's prostate almost continuously, low groans falling from his lips.   
Neither of the men would last long, that was clear from Will's trembling body and Hannibal's slightly erratic movements. 

The older man pulled Will up, so their bodies were pressed together, his face buried in the sweaty crook of his neck. With his back pressed to Hannibal's chest, their lips could catch in a kiss again, broken and sloppy. Will felt so overcome with pleasure, his body covered in a salty sheen, gasping and moaning at the man's deep thrust. Hannibal knew what he was doing, he knew how to treat Will, using his hands and mouth, along with his cock to please the younger one.   
He never wanted this to stop, but he could feel the familiar heat pooling in his lower stomach and flushing down to his groin.  
Only a few more thrusts. 

"H-Hannibal!" Will cried, his whole boy tensing and shaking as his orgasm consumed him. If it wasn't for Hannibal's strong arms holding him against his chest, the man was sure he would've fallen over.   
"Ple...Please." He whispered, resting sluggishly against the older man as Hannibal continued to thrust for a few more moments. The older man's orgasm was just as intense, biting down on pale skin as he filled his lover up. 

Both felt phenomenal, panting in the embrace of one another, finally whole again.   
Will felt a sense of peace flood over him as their breathing steadied. 

The curly-haired man was the first to pull away, laying down atop the warm sheets, sighing happily when he felt Hannibal lay neck to him. 

"I missed you..." Will finally spoke, moving to rest his head on the mains hair-covered chest, tracing shapes slowly. His bed previously felt so empty...so vast, but now he had the man in his sheets, it felt small and cosy. He was so happy.   
After returning from Florence, the profiler was convinced he would never hear from the man again (let alone see him). He couldn't believe how lucky he was.   
Luck and fate had brought them back together again and this time he wouldn't be so quick to let Hannibal fade away. 

A soft kiss was pressed to damp curls before a reply came, "I missed you too, Will, quite terribly. A house so large gets lonely after a while." He chuckled lightly.   
It was true, walking around his home in Italy without Abigail or Will was strange - even if they only had been there a few weeks.   
Being held was all Will had wanted for so long, he had spent the whole year yearning for strong arms to be wrapped back around him again.   
Rusty padded back into the bedroom and jumped up on the bed, worming under the bedsheets like he usually did every night, earning a small chuckle from both men.   
"Sorry, he's a cuddler." But Hannibal didn't care, he simply pulled the sheets up around him and allowed a hand to scratch behind the dog's ear. He wasn't much of a dog person, but Rusty was quite cute, much like his owner. 

  
Before anything else could be said, sleep had swallowed all three of them whole, little snores bleeding into the night as they slept. Will had his head buried into the mans face the whole night, breathing against the salt and pepper hair evenly.   
Rusty had wiggled his way between both men; seeking out the warmest part of the bed to nest in overnight. Hannibal had his nose pressed into the other's curls, his own silver hair splay out onto the comfortable pillow.   
No bad dreams plagued Will that night, he didn't see Hannibal in his dreams, he didn't see the empty balcony. He just saw inky black behind his closed eyes, floating through the nothingness of his unconscious mind. The experience was almost mutual for Hannibal, however, they were in the ever-expanding rooms of his mind palace, building something new together.   
Despite not planning for their evening to get intimate, the older man wasn't complaining, he had yearned for that beautifully sculpted body for so long. 

  
Will woke before the older man, looking up at his sleeping face through long lashes. Beautiful.   
If he could only have one memory of Hannibal, it would be his sleeping face, treasuring just how peaceful he looked like this.   
Slowly, as not to wake the man or his dog, Will slipped out of bed. He padded to the kitchen after pulling on some bottoms, putting the kettle on the stove, to make them some tea.   
Leaning against the counter, he gazed out of the window and watched the snow falling thickly, warm cup cradled in his hands. The morning was peaceful and quiet, only the soft howl of wind and Hannibal's loud snoring to listen to as he nursed his tea. 

"Mmm, good morning, Will." A groggy voice pulled him from his thoughts, the little kiss that followed brought a smile to his lips. He handed the still half-asleep man his cup, "Goodmorning. Did you sleep well?".  
"Very, your bed is quite warm, and the dog...is quite nice to cuddle." He admitted, taking a sip of tea before nosing at Will's curls, continuing with his sentence. "I have to go back to my home in Baltimore today, unpack some more of my things. Would you like to come with me?"  
Of course, Will said yes, smiling happily as he pottered off to get dressed. 

He was happy to help the man with anything, moving across the world must have been quite intense. Plus, any excuse he was given, he would take.   
Soon, Hannibal would have to tell the younger man that he would never be moving back to Italy. He planned to do so when he had moved from teaching to psychiatry - just so he wouldn't let the man down. 


	10. You’re...eating them?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal and Will happily fall back into the routine of domestic bliss, now that Hannibal is in the US for the foreseeable future. 
> 
> The profiler can feel a darkness beginning to grow, sliding its way into the bit of is stomach to fester. Hannibal, having already accepted himself for what he is, dances with the idea of helping his lover overcome the darkness...or embrace it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Hannibal now lives in the home we all know and love in Baltimore!)

Much like his home in Florence, Hannibal's house in Baltimore was big and lavish, considering the man had just moved in. It had plenty of spare rooms, which he aimed to turn at least two into hobby rooms for his instruments and art. 

He had ideas for the rest, but they all depended on Will. 

"Why do you need so many plates?" The brunette huffed, unwrapping delicate china from their newspaper cases, "three boxes is a bit excessive, no?" 

Hannibal was sorting his cutlery, sorting them between metals, size and occasion. He chuckled a little, light brow raised, "Well, I do plan on hosting a dinner party soon, to get to know my colleagues." 

Establishing himself in his work's social circle was very important, it would help him blend in and build appropriate relationships to keep him hidden. 

Plus, the older man never missed a chance to show off. 

His fingers traced over the cold trim on the white china, nodding as the other spoke. 

"Perhaps I could be your date? I'd be happy to get a baby sitter for Abigail, I've missed your cooking." Will smiled sheepishly. It was true, the man had tried teaching himself to cook like Hannibal, but he was always missing that little something the other man had. 

"A babysitter won't be needed, I am happy for her to join at the table," Hannibal smiled, picking up another box filled with glasses and cups. "You will have to give me a few weeks...to find a good butcher." 

Hannibal didn't trust many butchers, their meat was never up to his standards, which is why he took matters into his own hands more often than not. 

Unpacking and putting away the older man's belongings was actually more fun than Will had thought, spending hours in the other's company was probably the best part of it.

Hannibal had lots of expensive things, things that Will had never even dreamt of owning. He was a simple man that enjoyed simple things, but all these possessions made sense for the Lithuanian man, everything in the house matched his eccentric personality. 

Will imagine he would be spending more time here than at his own home. 

"So," Hannibal cleared his throat, pouring them both a small glass of wine after the kitchen was unpacked, leading the man upstairs to show him around. 

"I was thinking if you would like our relationship to continue, that I turn one of the guest rooms into a bedroom for Abigail. So you won't have to get a babysitter and you can stay as often as you would like." 

The man's heart raced as he waited for a response, sipping on his wine to stop from biting at his bottom lip. What if Will said no?

Maybe it was too early to suggest such a thing. 

The younger man felt his heart burst and then reassemble instantly, overwhelmed by the suggestion. Would he really do that for him and his daughter? Sacrifice a whole room for her. 

"Oh..." he chuckled.

"I'm sorry, I understand." The older man hid his disappointment.

"No!... Hannibal that is awful sweet of you, Abigail would love that. She has been asking about you this whole time." Will rubbed the man's arm gently, leaning up to kiss his flushed cheek. 

His worry melted away, glad that Will hadn't thought it was far too forward or that he was going trying to take over. He wanted Abigail to be comfortable.

Perhaps, he was making up for lost time with Mischa. Providing Will's daughter with things he wasn't able to give to her, filled him with parental warmth, he never wanted that to go away. 

He would take them both shopping and allow her to pick whatever she wanted. The room was painted a lovely cream colour and had plenty of space for toys and furniture. Maybe he would teach her to play the piano after school? It would allow them to bond more, and he was sure Will wouldn't mind her learning something artistic. 

"Papa!" Abigail giggled, watching her father struggle putting a bed together. Hannibal had taken the three of them shopping for bedroom items, bringing them home for all of them to build together; but Will was being rather stubborn. 

"I can build it! Just need my glasses..." he pawed the ground, huffing in embarrassment when the older man pointed out that they were positioned on his head. 

Since when was putting together a store-bought bed so hard? He had built the one as home by himself much quicker. 

All this mahogany wood and the little screws, Will kept getting lost in them. 

This little sleigh bed wasn't going to defeat him...until it did. 

He sat back with a frown as Hannibal quickly assembled the rest of the bed, asking Abigail to help him with the small mattress. The older man had bent over backwards to make sure the bed was what Abigail had wanted; taking the girl to at least seven shops before they decided on this one. 

The frown on Will's face quickly left as he watched his gentle giant and little princess work together. 

Was Will finally going to have the family he had craved for so long? The other had only been in the US for about two weeks now, but it felt like two years. 

The profiler easily put up bookshelves whilst the older man and Abigail worked on converting the walk-in-wardrobe into a playroom of sorts. Filling it with beanbags, soft blankets and the few toys she had picked out, hanging up some soft lights. He was having a splendid time spoiling the dear girl, soaking up every squeal, giggle and happy dance she did. 

Throughout his year away from Will, this had been one of the many things he had thought about. Hannibal enjoyed the more domestic parts of being with Will, caring for his daughter like she were his own, making them feel welcome. 

By the time the room was complete, Abigail was begging to have a nap in her new bed, rubbing her eyes tiredly. Will took off her shoes and tucked her into the deer-themed sheets, kissing the mess of curls before leaving with Hannibal, smiling softly. 

The younger man had never felt so...happy. The other man had come back for him and corrected everything that had happened, no one had ever shown that commitment to Will before and he didn't know what to do with himself. Hannibal was the most amazing man ever, his capability to be horrifically murderous and then delicate and sensitive never ceased to amaze the man.

Will loved all of him, every dark shadow and beacon of light, he loved the man as wholly as anyone could. It went unsaid, but Hannibal was aware of how the younger man felt, as he felt exactly the same. 

"She really likes you, Hannibal, you should have seen her face when I told her you were back." Will chuckled as they retired to the living room, curling up to one another on the sofa - something both men had grown very accustomed to. Their fingers laced together, Hannibal tracing his thumb over the others slowly. 

Those words warmed the other man, making him chuckle. 

"I'm sorry for allowing her to be away from me for so long...I feel awful for leaving things the way that we did. I have to admit, I have never felt so strongly for another person before. Not since my sister, dear Will." He hummed in response, burying his face in warm, soft curls with a little sigh. Hannibal hadn't expected to fall in love, but ever since meeting the man in Florence. 

He knew Will was the only one for him. 

They were conjoined now, it would take divine intervention to bring them apart ever again. 

His younger counterpart sighed, squeezing his hand gently, "You came and tried to find me at the airport, it's not like you gave up completely, I can be very stubborn sometimes...What happened to your sister?"

"When I was younger," he swallowed thickly, closing his eyes. "My sister and I were captured after my parents passed away...they killed my sister. I loved her dearly, I often see her in Abigail." The sadness in his voice didn't go unnoticed, it hurt Will's heart to hear such a thing. 

Hannibal must have felt so alone, so afraid, without anyone to keep him safe. Now he had Will, and he wouldn't allow the man to feel that way again. 

Will didn't reply, what was there to say? He simply squeezed the other's hand again, bringing it to his mouth for a soft kiss. It brought him a little selfish comfort that both Hannibal and himself had no one but each other. The younger man had lost his mother at a young age, his father following shortly, the rest of his family were either dead or mere strangers. It was better that way, his southern relatives carried deeply rooted hate which Will could not stand. 

It wasn't long at all before the FBI was left a 'gift', Hannibal had gotten bored and couldn't find a good enough butchers to satisfy his hunger. 

He didn't kill randomly. Like everything else in his life, his murders were methodical, picking off the rude one by one. It was a philosophy he had come up with after avenging his sister, slaughtering each one of their torturers, ridding the world of one less monster. His murders were a service, their bodies were always displayed and, if possible, their extra parts didn't go to waste. 

The older man found cooking with human meat to be the same, if not better, as animal meat. No one was ever able to tell the difference. 

Of course, Will knew who had left the gift for the FBI, but he worked hard in sending Jack in the opposite direction. Ethically and morally, his actions were wrong. Working against the law was something he had indirectly vowed not to do when taking this job. However, he didn't feel anything when he lied to Jack's face, not a single drop of remorse.

The profiler did find it quite strange that the body had a few organs missing, the bodies in Florence had organs missing...but that made sense for how they were displayed, this didn't. What was the man doing with them? Keeping them as trophies to preserve? 

Will found it even stranger when he arrived at Hannibals later that evening, to find him cooking with the exact organs that had gone missing. 

At their dinner the previous month, the man had never once mentioned  _ eating  _ his victims, hadn't even hinted to it. 

"I picked Abigail up for you, she's upstairs." Hannibal greeted the man with a warm smile, taking the bottle of wine he was holding. 

"You're...eating them?" 

He set down the knife, pouring the younger man a glass of wine. He had expected this, Will was FBI and would find out rather quickly, but the question was still abrupt. 

"Yes, I believe that whenever feasible...one should always eat the rude. It would be rude to waste the meat, Will." 

Hannibal spoke calmly, his dark eyes trained on Will as he waited for a response, fearing the worst. 

"Hm," Will's brows knitted together as he sipped from his glass, thinking for a few moments. The other man made sense, it seemed useless and wasteful to not use the byproducts of something so beautiful. 

The man knew how to cook, so why not use slightly obscure products to craft his amazing dishes? Who was it really hurting? 

"Promise me you aren't feeding it to Abigail..." he finally concluded. 

Although he had fed his 'meat' to guests, colleagues and Will, he would never dream of doing so to Abigail. He didn't want to upset her developing digestive system or subject her to something that, in his eyes, she wasn't old enough to be subjected to. 

"No, I always prepare a cruelty-free meal for her." He promised, wiping his hands off before pulling Will into a warm embrace, nosing his soft curls. 

"Good," he held the man tightly in return, burying his face in the man's chest. It would take a little while to get used to this new piece of information, but a large part of the profiler found that he simply didn't care, it actually excited him quite a lot. 

Maybe Will was getting ahead of himself, but the younger man found it hard to ignore the darkness that gnawed at him. He could feel it beginning to flood his mind, and feared that if it were not dealt with soon, he might grow into something he wasn't. He feared that a monster would burrow into his belly and eat up nest, festering and growing until it swallowed him whole...he wanted to harness the beast, like his partner seemed like he had done. 

Will wanted to ask Hannibal for help, for advice, but he was so scared to accept what had been happening for a long time now. 

Hannibal could already sense it, taking note of the way Will physically reacted to their conversations, watching the cogs in his mind move. 

He would help his love soon. 


	11. Mylimasis.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Over the coming months, Hannibal indulges himself in teaching Will how to cook and handle meats, preparing him for what is to come. 
> 
> Will is shocked and burying its emotions when his birthday rolls around, more than happy to spen it with the other man and nothing else....But, of course, Hannibal had other plans. Much more extravagant plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minor description of murder ahead.

Hannibal worked hard over the next few months to help Will. To teach him how to handle meats; talked him through his urges when they got almost blinding, doing all that he could to build the mans confidence. Teaching all of these new things to the man was pleasurable for Hannibal, passing on his philosophies, whispering into the chrysalis. 

He was amazed at how quickly the younger man was picking it up.  
Within a month, Will was begging to cook with Hannibal and show off his skills; which the older man happily let him do. He was eager to let Will indulge in his deepest fantasies, eager for them to bond between blood and gore, to see Will how he needed to be seen.   
It would be intimate. Special, something the older man wanted to make an evening out of, it wouldn't be a classic hunt, Will wasn't quite ready for that. 

With Will's birthday soon approaching, the older man decided it was time to put his plan into action.  
Abigail would spend the weekend with the Verger's again, so he and his love had the whole house to themselves. The younger man had politely begged him to make some 'normal food' for his celebratory dinner, which he couldn't say no to.   
Hopefully, Wagu steak and Truffle fries would be 'normal' enough for his dear Will, he wanted so desperately for the man to have a good day. Hannibal didn't often celebrate his own birthday and got the feeling that his partner was the same, but he wanted to make this one something that would never be forgotten. 

He started the day off with breakfast in bed, Will sat against his warm chest, nosing those soft curls.   
Mornings with Will were always his favourite part of the day; sleepy kisses and groggy, mismatched conversations. He would always lay under the sheets until he had no other choice but to get up and get ready, savouring each second like it was his last.   
Will whined a little, insisting that the older man didn't need to do anything special, but he was quickly quieted with a kiss. Hannibal wouldn't have any complaints on this special day. 

"Hannibal," Will laughed, walking into the living room to find a few neatly wrapped gifts, "I'm serious...you don't have to spoil me!"   
The young man was all rosy cheeks and coy smiles, deeply flattered that someone cared for him this much, it had been a long time since he had gotten gifts like this.   
He took a seat on Hannibal's lap, in the large armchair, dancing his fingers over the shiny paper. A long, square box, it felt heavy.   
"Oh wow..." he whispered softly, gently picking up the black and silver gutting knife. It was gorgeous, heavy and sharp, perfect for fishing.  
It looked awfully expensive.   
"This is gorgeous, thank you so much!" Will chuckled, turning his head to kiss the other's cheek gently. The fisherman couldn't wait to use this at his next fishing trip, it would replace his current one with ease.   
The older man laughed with him, delighted to see the other so happy, "Open the next one, dear, the bigger box." 

Inside the large, flat box, there was dark green tissue paper, which Will feverishly pulled back. Underneath was clear plastic, which made the younger man furrow his brows. He pulled it out and laughed, looking at the plastic full-body suit with a humoured expression, "What is this for, darlin'?"   
It looked well made, perhaps it was almost for fishing, maybe for rainy days?

"Mmh, you will have to wait and find out. After dinner, it will make sense, don't you fret." The older man purred, placing little kisses all over the man's neck and jaw, "Steak and fries, normal, just like you requested." 

"You are spoiling me, you are too good to me." The younger man cooed, turning fully to catch his lips in a soft kiss, sighing happily. Will had never liked birthdays, they always reminded him of his mother; the spars memories he had of her. They reminded him of his father and all the birthdays he forgot, too drunk to even try and remember. All those memories melted away at the gifts, soft kisses and adoring looking the other man gave to him, replacing everything bad in his mind.  
Now he had Hannibal, a man who loved him endlessly without having to tell him, someone, willing to forget a life somewhere else just for him. 

Will was head over heels for the man beneath him, everything about him was magical. When he looked into those deep, fiery eyes, his own blue ones sparkled.   
The phrase was on the tip of his tongue, begging to be released, but Will was afraid of what might happen. 

It didn't need to be said, Hannibal could feel it between them. 

After a few hours of lazily cuddling, something the older man didn't often do, he shifted the man from his lap to go and cook. He refused Will's assistance, pouring him a glass of wine, instructing him to stay put and relax.   
Hannibal put on his classical music, putting on his apron and rolling up his sleeves, setting about making the perfect dinner. Will would need all the energy he could get for what he had planned for dessert. 

With a pleased smile, Hannibal entered the dining room with two full plates. He placed one in front of Will, taking his own seat to pour them both a fresh glass of wine.   
The younger man looked down, his stomach rumbling.   
"Wagu? Hannibal...this stuff is expensive." he scolded playfully, shaking his head at the man. He tucked in anyways, humming happily.   
The older man loved watching Will eat, he was always so happy and enjoyed all of it. It made him glad to know that the profiler was getting what he needed and, making sure he was healthy. 

"Only the best for you, my dear, I hope you enjoy it all." He flashed him a sweet smile, sipping on his wine, that complimented the steak and truffle perfectly.   
Will didn't talk much as he ate, attempting to finish as fast as possible to find out what would happen after their meal. He honestly had no idea what it could be, the other man was so mysterious, he wouldn't be shocked if it as a private flight to Paris.   
But when Hannibal disappeared, only to reappear in a matching plastic suit, Will was more than shocked. His mind began to race. 

"Now, Will, please put yours on for me." He instructed with a little nod of his head. Slightly nervous, Will obeyed and pulled the suit over his clothes, zipping it up slowly.   
The thin plastic felt cool on his exposed skin, sending a shiver up his spine. What was this for? Painting? Will felt as though it definitely wasn't for that.   
"Close your eyes, give me our hand. Do you trust me?" The man asked, extending his hand for the other man. 

"Yes." He took ahold of Hannibal's hands, his eyes slipping shut, darkness consuming him. There was a slight fumbling around before there was a small tap delivered to Wills behind, ushering him forward, hand resting on the small of the man's back. Hannibal led him down a flight of stairs, flicking on a light, standing behind Will now.   
The younger man's body was hot, electric surging through his slender body.  
"Open your eyes, my dear." 

There, in front of the men, was another man. He was tied to a chair, eyes half-lidded, jaw slack. Will's heartbeat picked up, blood rushing so loud that he could hear it himself. The scent of fear and sweat was thick in the air around him, causing Will to raise his brows, licking his suddenly dry lips. 

"Hannibal...wh-"

The cool handle of his brand new knife slipped into Will's hand, the older man wrapped his arms around him, chin on his shoulder.   
"He has been sedated. He won't be able to make a noise, but he'll be able to feel every second of this. Of your becoming, my dear Will. Of our becoming." Hannibal whispered against the shell of the man's hot ear, flicking his tongue out to lick it. The thought of watching Will transform made Hannibal's throat dry and heart race, he felt elated.

Will gasped, clutching the blade in his hand as Hannibal's words wrapped around him, seeping into his mind. He let out a little whimper, pushing into the other's hands as they ran over his pectoral, resting on his heart. Was Will really going to do this? Was he really going to let that part of his mind take over, plunge into the belly of the beast?   
He needed to. The knife in his hand and plastic against his skin was calling his name. If he walked away from this now, he would never be able to forgive himself, unable to turn down the rare gift he was being given. 

"Go on, mylimasis. I will be right behind you, you aren't alone. Don't be afraid of the results, focus on the now, it is your birthday after all."   
His words were soft and encouraging, taking a step away from the man to observe. His chest was swelling with pride, he could feel him and Will becoming one - the line between them blurring, becoming conjoined. 

The grip on his knife tightened as he took a few steps closer, the scent of fear flooding his nostrils. The man didn't move. He didn't fight against the restraints or try and scream - he couldn't. This stranger was at Will's mercy, and he could do anything he wanted to their victim.   
The blonde in the chair had been particularly rude to Hannibal recently, a vicious young criminal that was easy to push into submission.   
Unlike how the man had imagined, his vision did not cloud, his mind didn't blur. In fact, he could see and think much more clearly, everything negative had slipped away. Right now, the only goal was to destroy the man before him. 

Without any hesitation, the profiler plunged the blade into his victim's stomach.  
Their victim.   
With it snugly buried into the flesh, hot blood pouring out, Will dragged it along his abdomen, gutting him. The movements were fluid and unwavering, no fear or restraint in what he did. Will wanted this. He needed this.  
Blood pooled onto the hard floor of Hannibal's basement, covering the knife and the man's pale hand as well. He loved the hot, sticky feeling on his skin, wishing he could bathe in the moment. Will pulled the knife from his stomach, looking back at Hannibal with a smile, earring one from his partner.   
Hannibal's dark eyes twinkled with delight, pupils blown out, watching the mans every move with hunger. 

Finishing the man off, Will slashed the knife across his throat, letting out a shocked moan as blood spray his face and chest. The splatter that hit his body slid down his suit like water, trickling down to eventually gather with the rest of the blood on his floor.   
God, he wanted to continue, but he knew if he did it would spoil the meat. Will wanted to consume this man, devour him with his love. 

His soul mate. 

He was pulled from his thoughts when he felt strong arms wrap around him, leaning gleefully into the touch. The younger man hadn't noticed that he was panting, or that there was a familiar heated rush flowing south. Their lips met in a heated kiss, Hannibal prying the knife from the man's fingers to set it back onto the side.   
"Now," he whispered, "take your suit off and leave it with me. Go and shower, I shall be up to the bedroom in half an hour."   
Will was thankful for the other's instructions, it helped him stay present in the moment, keeping him from crawling into the safety of his mind.   
He didn't want to run from this. 

Will took off his suit and did as he was told, giving the man another soft kiss before heading upstairs to their bathroom. Since then profiler had started spending so much time at Hannibal's home, Rusty had started joining. The bundle of fur was curled up in the bed Hannibal had put at the end of their own. Neither man would admit it, but they preferred when Rusty slept with them, it was an added warmth.   
He took off his clothes and slipped into the shower, wetting the cloth to wash his body with. All his muscles ached now, melting underneath the hot water, relaxing completely.   
A little smile was pressed to the man's lips as he lathered up his body, sat down on the shower bench. 

Once the floor was mopped, the body was cut up nicely and placed in the freezer, Hannibal made his way upstairs. He shed his clothes as he walked, throwing them in the laundry bin before joining his love in the shower.  
Will looked exhausted but proud, a little smile pressed to those pink lips. He knelt in front of him, taking the rag to gently wipe flecks of blood from his face.   
"I'm so proud of you, Mylimasis." The nickname was a new one, the same as Hannibal had used in the basement. Wil wondered what it meant since it wasn't English, but he didn't ask, he didn't want to ruin how perfect the man sounded when saying it. 

Tenderly, he washed the smaller man, lathering his curls with shampoo before rinsing.   
He picked Will up and carried him to their bedroom bridal style, drying him off happily. Even though the other man wasn't living there full time, he still considered it their room.   
Will looked up at him through his lashes, "Thank you so much, Hannibal, this has been the best birthday ever...no one treats me like you do." He sounded sleepy, words slurring together. The thrill of his first kill had drained the poor man, sleep pulling him desperately.   
Hannibal tugged his red knitted sweater over Will's wet curls, admiring that it was just a little too big on him. He looked gorgeous, especially when he knew what Will had done. What he had released in himself. 

Hannibal lay Will down in their large bed, pulling the man to his chest. He stroked the younger man's curs slowly, cooing into his ear. Hannibal was proud, enthralled that they could now share something that brought them together intimately on a whole other level. With his fingers, he tilted the brunettes chin up to catch his lips in a passionate kiss. When they pulled apart, his eyes remained transfixed on Will, soaking up every ounce of beauty his darling had to offer. Brushing a few curls away with a delicate finger.   
Nothing, no one, could bring them apart now. 

His body was completely relaxed, mind free of any troubles as he nosed a the other's chest. The words that came out of his mouth next, he had no control of. Allowing them to fall out without considering possible consequences. 

"I love you, Hannibal."

The older man's heart stopped. Had he said those words? Or was he just hearing what he wanted? No...they had definitely come from the man's mouth, and he had meant them. He closed his eyes, their time spent together running through his mind slowly. Will Graham, one of the FBI's most valuable assets, was gravely in love with The Ripper. Hannibal didn't much like that name, to cliche.   
Sighing deeply, he replied, "I love you too. Get some sleep, dear." 

Hannibal watched as Will closed his eyes and drifted off. He couldn’t believe that only a few hours ago, Will had embraced and accepted the darkest parts of his mind. He had completed his becoming. Now him and Hannibal were conjoined. They, as a pair, were The Chesapeake Ripper.


	12. Brilliance.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lovers relax after Will’s busy birthday evening. 
> 
> Will eventually can’t hold back his urges anymore, months after killing for the first time. He finds himself desperately pleading to fulfil his blood lust.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise that this is so short!   
> The next chapter will be longer!  
> Any guesses as to what might happen next?

Will nosed Hannibal's chest gently, eyes fluttering open. The young man's body was sore and fragile-feeling from the night before.   
He yawned the scenes from the night before flooding back to him, drowning his senses momentarily.   
Finally, Will had embraced who he was, all thanks to the darling man next to him. He pressed a few soft kisses to Hannibal's face, attempting to stir him from his sleep, stomach rumbling. 

With a small groan, the older man stirred and turned his head toward the man, catching him in a soft kiss.   
A perfect way to start the day, he would love to wake up to this every morning. He would kill to wake up like this every morning.   
"Good morning," Hannibal chuckled, his voice deep and gravely from sleep, "how are you?"  
Will looked breathtaking, his chocolate curls a mess, eyes heavy with sleep, smile pressed to his lips. Hannibal was hooked on this man, he doubted he could ever live without him. 

"I'm brilliant." He wrapped Hannibal's arm around himself, lacing their fingers together slowly.   
"I slept so well, last night must've done me in." Will laughed a little, squeezing Hannibal's hand. He hoped that it wasn't the only time he would get to kill. He got a taste now, he didn't know if he would be able to just...stop.   
The two of them lay in bed, embracing one another for a few hours, kissing and chatting lazily.   
It felt like a dream, Hannibal was sure he would wake up and be alone all over again, back in Italy with his thoughts. This all felt too good to be a dream, though, the older man knew that much. 

Eventually, they managed to pull themselves from under the sheets and head downstairs for breakfast. The house was oddly quiet without Abigails early morning demands and pattering feet, but Rusty's paws made up for that.   
Hannibal set about making his famous egg protein mix, making use of some of the meat from last nights adventure. Although Will had butchered the body with the gutting knife, some of the organs and meat were left unscathed, Hannibal wasn't going to waste that. He watched Will eat, pouring them both a cup of coffee. 

During his childhood, teenage years, an early adulthood Hannibal never thought he would want something like this. Something so domestic, so normal. After Mischa, the idea of having a family terrified him, he couldn't imagine losing them in the same way he had lost his sweet sister. But now, Hannibal didn't want anything else. He wanted Will to be his forever, for Abigail to look at him in the same way she looked at Will...as her father. He adored Abigail, he enjoyed providing for her and Will.   
The man was his everything, in such a short time, the profiler had consumed Hannibal and made his heart melt. 

He had never imagined he would sell his home in Italy and move to the US, he loved that architectural masterpiece, but he loved Will more. He had known he loved the man the moment he lay eyes on him next to the Primavera, no one else was worthy enough to have Will. The brunette deserved the world, Hannibal wanted to...was willing to give it to him.   
He hoped that one day the young man would be his in marriage, perhaps soon. 

The pair lounged around all day, watching movies that Will claimed were his favourite. All of them were his favourite, which Hannibal found it hard to believe, no one could possibly have five favourite films.   
When Abigail arrived home, she was happy to watch cartoons with her father until dinner and bath time.  
The young girl loved bath time, the claw-foot bathtub was always filled to the brim with bubbles and her few bath toys. After her bath, Hannibal carried her to her bedroom, where Will was waiting to read her a story.  
"I love you, Papa...and Hanni." She smiled, burying her face in the elk plushie, closing her eyes. 

"We love you too, sweet pea." Will hummed, kissing her head. Every day felt like a blessing for the younger man, he had everything he had ever wanted.   
He knew, some part of him at least, that his fiancé was watching over him. Will wasn't a religious person, but occasionally he could feel her presence, watching over him and their daughter lovingly. She wouldn't be mad about this, she would've wanted Will to move on and be happy, even if it was without her. It wasn't often Will got upset about her, it was rare that he thought about her now, but she did cross his mind. He had stopped seeing her in Abigail's eyes, now seeing Hannibal, his dark embers burning in her blue pools.   
She was Hannibal's daughter a much as she was Will's, now. 

\-----------

"Hannibal...please," Will whispered, nosing at the man's neck. He knew how to get his way, he was going to get his way now. It had been months...far too long, since he had killed that man on his birthday. He needed to do it again.   
"Please, I need to do it again. You can't just...give me a taste and then take it away." He continued to whine, pressing kisses to Hannibal's neck.   
This manipulation always worked. 

The older man laughed softly, resting his arm on the passenger seat as he reversed out of the crime scene. The blood and the scene as a whole must've excited Will, he could smell it on his partner.   
"Now, dear, don't get worked up. It takes planning to go on a hunt, I can't bring every body to you...you have to go out and get it yourself." He lectured, clicking his tongue at the younger man playfully.   
It was true, he couldn't bring each victim to their house for Will, the man would have to learn how to hunt just like he had. It was a long process, perfecting the methods and knowing just who to pick, Will would learn in due course. 

Will huffed, nodding slowly. He hated that Hannibal was always right, no matter what. The young man didn't want to hunt, he feared that he would ruin it an have them both caught...but if Hannibal thought he was ready, he was ready. 

"It will be easy. All you have to do is break into his home and kill him. I'll be there with you, mylimasis." Hannibal cooed softly, giving the man's cheek as kiss as he zipped up his plastic suit. He grabbed his 'tool' bag and headed to the car with his lover, climbing into the passenger side. Will could drive this time. 

His heart rabbited in his chest as they silently pulled up to the house. It was large and detached, a nice bit of space left between each home. No one would hear or see the demise of this rude man, at least until the police find his body.   
Will could feel every drop of blood as it coursed through his body, running hot in his veins. The thrill of killing for a second time was almost overwhelming, he felt as though he was going to seize up.   
The house was completely dark, engulfing Will in a blanket of ink as he tiptoed through the house. He was silent, creeping up the stairs to the man's bedroom. 

For a few moments, Will watched the man sleep, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest. It was the young man's job to snuff that steadiness out. He was happy to do so, it would bring him great pleasure.   
To make sure the meat wouldn't be as damaged, Will lunged forward and cleanly, quickly snapped the sleeping man's neck. Just like that, he was dead.   
"Very well done, dear." Hannibal purred from behind the man, materialising suddenly, it made Will shiver. 

"It wasn't as fun as my first time...I think I prefer the knife." Will chuckled breathily, suddenly realising that he was breathing quite heavily.   
Had it really knocked the wind out of him that hard?   
The bedsheets were folded and placed at the end of the bed so Hannibal could cut and take what he wanted. There would be no display this time, that could wait until Will was comfortable enough hunting. He couldn't have his soulmate lose control and leave unwanted evidence for Jack Crawford to collect. 

"First times are always the best, the memory is freshest in your mind. Irreplaceable, lamb." He remarked, gently placing kidneys and stomach on ice, excited to cook them the next evening for him and Will. Abigail still wasn't old enough, that was also a conversation he would have to have with Will shortly, overstepping boundaries was rude. 

Will watched on adoringly, mesmerised by his lover's talented fingers and delicate touch, admiring his handy work. It was in moments like this, where Hannibal was at his truest, where Will fell even more deeply in love with him.   
It made Will's heart swell, knowing that he was the only person to ever see the man this way, to see his inner self. No one else would ever have the pleasure of understanding Hannibal in such a way. They would never get to see the beauty tucked behind his person suit. 

The pair cleaned up, pressing their lips together occasionally, sharing a kiss in front of their victim.   
Once the scene was pristine and the man was tucked back under his sheets, Will and Hannibal took themselves back to the car, ready to drive home.   
Unlike last time, Will wasn't tired or drained, he felt exactly the opposite. He felt so alive and hot, so desperate to get the older man into bed, yearning to burn his energy in one of the best ways he knew how.


	13. To Whom You Fall In Love.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal suggests that their relationship moves up a level, whilst Will is unsure - earring he may be hurt. 
> 
> Will visits Alana, staying for some tea whilst Abigail is at a play date. The woman lets something slip that makes Will’s heart skip more than just a beat.

Freddie Lounds was having a field day with Will's and Hannibal's handy work, profiting as she milked the murder scenes dry of content.   
'The Chesapeake Ripper' is what she called them, called him. No one knew that there was two of them, convinced that this was the work of one truly deluded mind. Everyone was on their toes, afraid. When a murderer has no clear MO, it makes everyone want to lock their doors and hide. 

It was an endless topic of conversation for Will at work, Jack constantly riding his ass about theories.   
Even when working his own crime scenes, the job was extremely draining. Although the profiler loved seeing his work, surrounded by people none the wiser, he hated talking about it.   
There was no proudly declaring that he was the one to skin a predator or dismantle someone until they were a human puzzle. No basking in the glory like there was when he was with Hannibal. He had to pretend that this wasn't him, that it wasn't his becoming and Hannibal's glorious darkness intertwining until they were one. 

Will would have to get used to that. He had already gotten used to seeing his work and nickname in the papers, on the news, on his phone screen, but he hadn't gotten used to this yet. 

The older man was so proud of his lamb, he had broken free from the slaughterhouse and killed the Wolf. He had hatched from the chrysalis, and a beautiful death-head moth had spread its wings. Will was otherworldly, his mind and body was everything Hannibal had ever wanted, his heart was everything he didn't know he had needed until now.   
In a perfect world, Hannibal would've met Will much earlier, right when he was embracing his true nature, they could've blossomed at the same time. He could have had the man with him when he was all alone, fighting against the world with no one in his corner.  
Imagining himself young, with Will, was always one of his favourite things. On a difficult day, when the young profiler wasn't around to hold him, he would slip away into his mind palace and explore. 

There were so many new rooms now, so many spaces for him and his new-found family. Even if Will and Abigail were taken away from him, they would always be alive and thriving in his mind palace, waiting for Hannibal to come home. 

Will had been missing the older man lately, finding himself spending most days at Hannibal's residents. Abigail never seemed to mind either, she loved her room and the piano lessons with Hannibal. The slow transition from his Wolftrap home to Baltimore was obvious, to the older man, soon the profiler would be living there full time.   
The younger man would never admit that he was becoming dependant on Hannibal, but he was. Sleeping in his bed in Wolftrap was almost torturous; his bed felt empty and hollow without another warm body next to him. The little house in the open field felt far too quiet. Lacking the sounds of Abigail clumsily playing the piano, Hannibal cooking in the large kitchen. Will secretly loved the noise, it made his mind rest easy. 

"You don't have to go back, you know." The older man hummed, pulling Will to his chest. Hannibal had just finished his piano lesson with the curly-haired girl, now making her a small snack, the brunette distracting him. Watching them leave after an evening together always made the older pairs heart drop, "You can stay here...permanently, dear." 

Will felt his cheeks heat up. He had been thinking about it for a while, what life would be like if he lived in this marvellous home forever. He always got too nervous and shoved the question down.   
"Really? Hannibal...that's a big commitment. Would you really want Abigail and me under your feet all the time? I'm sure you will get bored with us eventually." He sighed softly, casting his gaze down to the floor, shifting a little. Uncomfortable. 

Hannibal tutted through a sigh, cupping the young man's face, forcing Will to look at him.   
"Will, please do not think of yourself as an inconvenience to me. I love having you in my home, our home. I could never get bored of either of you, you make my days much brighter, dear." He promised, rubbing the soft cheek of his partner slowly, looking into his eyes meaningfully. It truly saddened him to see Will genuinely think that.   
"If I had an issue with you being here, I would not insist on you being here full time."

He sighed, nodding slowly. There was absolutely no need for Will to be worried or paranoid, but he couldn't help it, he feared rejection immensely. Losing Hannibal, in any way, would crush him.   
"Okay," he chuckled, putting his hands atop Hannibals, "I'll talk to Abigail about it, I'm sure she will also like the idea. She loves being here."   
Will gave the man a quick, loving hug before walking briskly to Abigail, carrying a bowl of apples and peanut butter for her.   
Her father didn't even have to finish his sentence before she was happily agreeing to the idea, wrapping her arms around him. Abigail (despite being young), understood that Hannibal made her father happy. She could tell that they were in love, like Morgan's mommies. 

\-------------------------

"Thank you," Wil smiled, taking the cup of steaming tea from the woman, sitting in the comfortable armchair.   
Abigail and Morgan had begged for another play-date at Alana's, Will had decided to stay to have a catch up with his friend.   
Small talk never came easy for the profiler, Alana and him had been friends long enough for him to be comfortable to chatter with the woman. 

After their usual catch up regarding work and the children, a playful smile creeps up on Alana's red lips, moving herself closer to the profiler.   
"So...how serious are the two of you?" She was a rather professional woman, but that didn't mean she couldn't occasionally enjoy a little gossip, especially regarding Will's love life. She laughed when she saw a pale blush coat Will's cheeks. 

"Oh, we are pretty serious, I suppose. I moved in a few weeks ago." Will chuckled. He found himself blushing even darker, a coy smile taking control of his lips.   
Moving in was a quick process, he didn't have many things to bring over that Hannibal hadn't already replaced for him; just his finish gear and clothes. 

"Have you considered that, perhaps, you and Hannibal are...soulmates?" 

Of course, he had thought about that. The very idea of being Hannibal's soulmate made his bones rattle inside of him, made his heart rabbit and lungs feel tight. He never knew he could be so intertwined with the other man as if they shared the same heart and mind, bonded together with blood, sweat and tears.   
"I have. The idea of being with someone so intimately after...what happened never crossed my mind. Then I met him, and it's all I could think about, Alana." Will sighed, setting his cup down.   
The woman, as well as her wife, had been one of Will's biggest supporters during his mourning period. Always more than happy to help him, he doubted he would ever be able to fully repay them both. Alana doubted she would see the day when Will finally allowed himself to love again, it almost brought tears to her eyes at his admission. 

"He lay down his life for you. Sold his home in Italy, got a new job and is training to become a psychiatrist. Just to be with you...I am certain he feels the s-"

"Sold his home?" Will cut her off, brows knitting together. He didn't know that bit of information, he just assumed Hannibal would go back during the holiday seasons. He wasn't aware the man had left Italy definitively, the man had even said he would be returning.   
Hannibal had really given up his life in Italy, one he seemed to love, for Will? He couldn't believe it. 

Alana tilted her head a little, smiling kindly at the other man, sensing he was becoming a little overwhelmed.   
"Did you not know that, Will?"

"No, I...he just told me that he was here for a while to teach. I...thought he meant until Christmas or something..."

"Oh, I'm sorry you had to hear it from me. I'm sure he was planning on telling you soon, it can't be an easy subject to discuss with a loved one." She rationalised. 

The profiler stood up and smoothed out his trousers, sighing softly.   
"Thank you for the tea, Alana. But I must get going, Abigail needs dinner."   
Will collected his daughter from the large playroom, scooping her up to carry her to the car. He was still trying to process the new information. Why hadn't Hannibal told him outright that he had sold his home and intended to stay in the US permanently?

\----------------------

Once the young girl was put into bed, Will headed into the older man's study, watching him at the door for a few moments. Hannibal looked handsome as ever; his shirt sleeves rolled up, chin resting in his hand as he read through a paper.   
The soft glow from his desk lamp cast beautiful shadows against his angular face.   
"Is everything alright, mylimasis?" He asked, not poking up from his paper, yet he addressed Will perfectly. 

"You didn't tell me you had sold your home, Hannibal." Will sighed softly, perching himself on the older's desk, fixing his glasses. The younger man wasn't upset or angry, just a little disappointed that he had been kept in the dark for this long. 

Hannibal sighed a little, placing a large hand on the young man's thigh, rubbing it gently.   
"The reason I didn't tell you is...I feared that you would have found it far too forward or told me to return to Italy. I wanted to be with you wholly, removing the option to flee back to the comfort of a foreign country when my emotions became overbearing." He explained, standing to move between Will's thighs, rubbing his shoulders lazily.   
"I wanted nothing more than to be with you full time, even if that meant selling and uprooting my life. I would do anything for you, Will Graham, you have my heart... Unfortunately, you cannot control to whom you fall in love with, and I have fallen eternally for you." 

The profiler felt his eyes burn with tears, allowing them to streak down his face freely as Hannibal spoke. He listened intently, hanging onto every accented word like his life depended on it, bottom lip worrying.  
Will let out a little sob, a smile spreading onto his wet face. Even if Hannibal used big words and sounded pretentious every once in a while, Will loved hearing him talk, rambling on about how he felt.   
"I..." he sobbed again, reaching a hand up to caress the man's pink face, "Hannibal, you fool. I wouldn't have pushed you away had you told me right away, I wanted nothing more than for you to remain here, with me. I don't think I could live without you, even if I had no other choice...you're one of the best things to happen to me in a long time. I love you too." 

As soon as the words had left his mouth, Hannibal was kissing him with feverish lips. He cupped Will's face, kissing him slow and passionate, sighing contently. There was nothing else that couldn't be said with a kiss now, verbal communication was long gone. 

Will's nimble fingers undid Hannibal's buttons, pulling his shirt off to throw it on the ground, hands roaming over the hot flesh freely. Having his bare skin under his fingers felt amazing, he could trace every scar, curve or muscle of Hannibal's breathtaking body.   
He pulled away from the kiss, focusing on pressing sloppily kisses to the now-exposed skin, teeth nipping ever so lightly.   
The profiler let out a gasp as he was pushed down, laying on the cool wood, his legs wrapped around Hannibals middle. He didn't care that they hadn't made it to the bedroom - they hadn't even tried to. 

Hannibal made quick work of Will's trousers, folding them over his chair, followed by his own. He covered the young man's neck in rough kisses, ripping his shirt open to kiss over his chest and down his stomach. Will was letting out soft whimpers, very cautious about how loud he was being, he didn't want to wake the sleepers in the house.   
Slowly the older man placed open-mouthed kisses to the inside of Will's thigh, nosing at his crotch before pulling back.   
He took a moment to admire the mostly naked body underneath him, a large hand running up the man's stomach to his chest.   
Beautiful. 

He gripped onto the man's hips once his own trousers were pulled down, lining himself up to Will. Hannibal was thankful he always kept a spare bottle of lube in his desk drawer, slicking himself and Will up quickly.  
Hannibal pushed into him with a groan, bottoming out instantly. Will was always so tight and ready for him, he loved how the man reacted to being full. Their hands laced together as the one on top began to move his hips, his pace perfect.   
Will wrapped his arms around his lover, gasping and moaning softly into the security of his neck, eyes screw shut. 

Already, Will was on cloud-9. His dull fingernails dug into the sensitive skin of Hannibals back, sure to leave marks later. This was passionate, their bodies tangled together as a thin sheen of sweat covered both of them.   
Hannibal groaned, whispering incoherent phrases to his lover in Lithuanian, kissing over his forehead and cheeks. He kissed the teas from Will's face, pressing their foreheads together.   
The younger man could hardly make them out, barely picking up on a few of the phrases as pleasure washed over him.   
The older man was good at reducing Will to a whimpering mess. Unable to form tangible sentences or perform basic actions, consumed entirely by the pleasure Hannibal gave him. A lot of the time, it became all the young man could focus on when they were intimate, mind completely blank. 

"Haaanibal!" Will drawled, his accent thick and sweet, whispering words of adoration to the man as the pace was picked up. "I lo-love you, d-don't stop." He pleaded quietly, feeling the familiar heat of closeness creep into his stomach. 

The older man didn't stop, he hadn't planned on doing so. His movements became a little sloppier and more erratic as he neared the edge also, gripping Will's hand so tightly he feared bones would break. 

Almost in unison, the men reached orgasm. Will gripped onto Hannibal with a dangerously tight grip, biting down on the man's shoulder to hold back a scream that was threatening to crawl u his throat. His whole body shook as Hannibal continued to thrust into him, threatening to overstimulate his prostate, causing him to mewl in pleasure.   
Within a handful of more thrusts, Hannibal had cum deeply inside of the younger man, brushing damp curls from his lovers face as his orgasm wracked through him. 

Pulling out of him, Hannibal sat back in his chair and pulled Will back into his lap, holding him close. It hadn't lasted long, but God did it feel good. He stroked those chocolate curls, kissing the crown of his head, a perfect excuse to breathe in the scent of his sweet shampoo.   
"I would do...anything for you, mymilasis," Hannibal whispered after some time, running his hand down the man's prominent spine slowly. 

Will sighed a little, nosing at the soft hair of Hannibal's chest as he calmed completely, reaching over to grab his glasses that he been discarded on the desk. Hannibal didn't need to say it, he knew that was the case, but hearing it filled him with warmth and confidence. 

The older man was already formulating a plan to show the other man just how much he meant his words. A plan to show Will how much he truly loved the man. 

"Let's go make dinner," he chuckled, patting Will's bottom, "and get a glass of wine...you must be thirsty."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any guesses as to what our cunning man, Hannibal, is planning?


	14. May I Be Honest?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal had been living in the US for just over a year now, living happily with Will and Abigail in his home.
> 
> After making the shift to psychiatry, the older man becomes secretive and leaves his younger lover alone and bored most evenings.

Hannibal had been living in Baltimore for just over a year-and-a-half now, recently celebrating both his and Abigails birthday. He had loved every second, day and month spent with Will, not once regretting his decision. Hannibal, in this time, had also made his progression into psychiatry. Which was his goal before moving to Baltimore.   
Every day that he woke up to Will in his bed was a day worth enjoying. On occasion, he would find Abigail curled up between them, falling asleep after sneaking into their bedroom in the early morning. Neither men ever complained about it. 

The young girl enjoyed their living situation. She liked her piano lessons with Hannibal and how he would insist on washing and pressing all of her uniform. She especially enjoyed when Hannibal would do her hair all pretty for school. Tying a pretty ribbon in her hair before driving her to school in the Bentley. 

\--------------

"Bye, dad!" She called to Hannibal one summers morning as she ran to greet her friends, waving at him with a smile pressed to her lips. 

Hannibal froze, a smile drifting onto his face. Dad? Had she really just called him that or was he imagining things? No. He had definitely heard her correctly. He threw her a small wave before getting back into the car, unable to wipe the smile from his lips as he drove to work. 

"You'll never guess what happened, today, dear," Hannibal hummed, wrapping his arms around Will's smaller frame almost as soon as he stepped through the door. 

Will chuckled, giving him a soft kiss before asking; "What happened?" 

"Well, Abigail called me dad today." He replied with a proud smile.

"Really? That's adorable." Will chuckled, admiring the flush on Hannibal's cheeks. He had hoped this would eventually happen, now it had and, he couldn't be any happier. 

"I'm glad she is comfortable enough to think of me like a second father,"

"Not a second father, Hannibal, like a father. I'm her Papa and your her Dad, there is no second place." He corrected firmly, leading Hannibal to the living room, pulling him into their shared armchair. 

Both Rusty and Winston ran over to the men, wagging their tails excitedly. Over a month previous, Will had found another stray on his drive home from Quantico, unable to leave the poor thing behind. He had to bring him home. Will fell in love with the larger dog instantly, Hannibal taking a little longer to warm up to the second dog, loving him nonetheless. Both dogs slept at the end of the bed, curled up in their own plush dog bed, snoring loudly. Secretly, Hannibal loved spoiling the dogs.   
Will happily reached a hand down to fuss them, softly asking them about their day. 

\----------

The thought had been dancing around in the older man's mind for quite a while now. Gnawing at his brain every second that he was alone with his thoughts. He could see himself following through with the ideas, allowing them to come true. However, there was a familiar type of fear that held him back; the same feeling that he got when he thought of Mischa. It was ridiculous, Mischa had passed away a long time ago. No longer did he think of himself as responsible for what happened to her. He was just a boy, starving and scared, what happened wasn't his fault. He knew that his daring sister had forgiven him for his trespasses, as he had forgiven himself. 

If Hannibal were to follow through with his thoughts, it would have to be something truly amazing. Will was worth the world, this was something that Hannibal knew, without a doubt. What he had dancing around his mind had to be perfect. He wouldn't stop until it was. 

He didn't enjoy lying to his darling Will but, for this, he had to. He told the younger man that he was picking up a few new patients, meaning he would have to spend a few extra hours at his office. It was the only lie he would tell. He couldn't bear to deceive his partner any more than that.   
During the time Hannibal was supposedly taking new patients, he would drive a little bit out of town to do some shopping. A lot of the stores he went to didn't have what he needed, what he wanted. He went to every single one he could find online, always having to tell the lovely shopping assistant; "This just isn't what I'm looking for. I am sorry." Before returning home, unsatisfied once again.

It wasn't until a month later that Hannibal had found what he was looking for. The perky, young shopping assistant had shown Hannibal around the shop two times before the older man came to his conclusion. "That one, in the back, may I see that a little closer, please?" 

"Of course you can, Sir!" She smiled sweetly, sliding herself behind the counter to open up the glass, pulling the display case out. The silver sparkled underneath the light, drawing a smile onto the older man's lip. 

Gently, he picked up the object, examining it. The blue matched Will's eyes exactly and, the silver was sure to compliment his skin dashingly. "This is perfect. Could you wrap it for me, in a little more inconspicuous packaging?"

She nodded, taking the item to her counter. "I'm sure your girlfriend is going to love this, it's one of our more...unusual pieces, very few people have it."

"Oh no, it is for my boyfriend, actually. He will love it all the same." Hannibal smiled, stopping himself from chuckling as an embarrassed flush covered the shopping assistants cheeks. "Thank you for all of your help, I have been looking for weeks for something this...exquisite." The older man passed over the cash for his purchase, along with a sizeable tip for the young woman. 

The assistant thanked him kindly for such a generous tip as she handed him the little bag. It was black, no writing on it and the item was covered with a prop gift. Hannibal smiled to himself, what a smart girl. 

Back in the safety of his car, Hannibal grabbed the box and smiled down at its contents. Finally. He had found the perfect little thing for Will. He still wasn't done, there was still so much more that he had to do. 

For the next few times, he did stay in his office for the extra hours, flicking through photos from his time in Italy with Will. Had it really been over two years? It felt like yesterday when they were laying in flowery fields, laying in bed together, holding hands at the opera. He paid extra attention to Will in the photos, making note of what he was wearing on certain days, storing the information for later. 

\--------

Will sighed to himself, hanging up his coat. He had been missing Hannibal something terrible as of late, always coming home to an almost empty house. That evening, Abigail had insisted on staying with Alana, meaning the profiler was even lonelier. He poured himself a finger of whiskey before heading upstairs to change into his pyjamas, his usual evening routine now.   
The young man raised a brow when he saw what was left on the bed; white slacks and his salmon pink shirt. He hadn't worn that shirt since...since meeting Hannibal. He picked up the small note, smiling a little. 

' My dearest Will,   
I apologise for my absence as of late, I promise it is for good reasons. Please shower and put on the outfit that this note is placed atop of. A car will be there to collect you at 7.30 pm. Please be ready for then.   
~ Yours truly,   
Hannibal.'

He laughed softly to himself, not at all shocked at Hannibal's mysterious and pretentious antics. It was who he was.   
Will followed the instructions on the note, having a quick shower and shave before getting dressed. The clothes fit him just as well as they did two years ago, hugging his figure nicely, making him look smart. He did his hair, neatly styling his recently cut curls, dabbing on some expensive aftershave Hannibal had recently gifted to him. As he slipped on his shoes, he heard the beep of a car horn outside, practically running to the front door. 

Will jumped into the back of the car, greeting the driver with a smile. "Good evening! Do you know where we are going?" 

"Good evening, Mr Graham. I do know where we are going, but I am under strict orders not to tell you, Sir." The driver chuckled as he began their journey, winking at the younger man. 

The profiler chuckled softly, shaking his head. This had Hannibal written all over it. Will stayed quiet for the rest of the drive, looking out of the window curiously as the scenes around him changed. They were driving for almost an hour, Will shifting anxiously in his seat. What was Hannibal planning? Will could only think of the worst possible outcome; Hannibal leaving him. 

All Will's fears melted away when the car pulled up to an Opera House, stepping out when the door was open for him. Hannibal wasn't stood waiting for him, the man was nowhere to be seen. 

"This is where I leave you, Mr Graham. Just walk yourself through the front doors and, he will be waitin' for you." The driver chimed.

He nodded, waving the driver off before heading up the concrete stairs, heart racing. Will pushed open the door, breath catching in his throat at the sight before him.   
The Opera house was completely empty, the lights dim and soft, quiet music playing overhead. Music Will recognised from a long time ago. From Italy. Hannibal was stood on the stage next to a picnic blanket, dressed in the same white suit from two years ago. The one Will first saw him in, right in front of the Primavera. On top of the blanket lay some food, a bottle of alcohol and flowers that looked awfully familiar. What was this all about? Had Will missed their anniversary? 

"Come here, darling!" Hannibal called, chuckling at the shocked expression on Will's handsome face. It was all worth it, the months and months of planning and lying to his lover paid off. He couldn't help but admire how beautiful Will looked, the clothes he hadn't touched in years still looked amazing on him, it was clear he had put effort into his appearance. Hannibal's heart swelled as the younger man wrapped his arms around his older pairs waist.

"What is all this?" The southerner chuckled, running a thumb over the older man's sharp cheekbone.

"It's an apology for being so busy as of late. I thought a special evening might cheer you up a little, I have noticed your recent feelings of loneliness."

"Oh, Hannibal, I ain't mad...this is amazing," he replied as Hannibal pulled him to sit on the blanket, removing his shoes to be comfortable. Everything laid out before him looked familiar, transporting him back to the picnic he and Hannibal had gone on whilst in Italy. He smiled sheepishly, remembering the softness of their first kiss and how far they had come since the, how much they had grown together. Will and Hannibal were inseparable. He couldn't imagine his life without the older man. 

Hannibal took the liberty of pouring them both a glass of champagne, handing it to the younger man. "I must say, you look delicious tonight, mylimasis." He purred, sipping on his drink, watching a beautiful blush cover the younger man's cheeks. 

"You picked the outfit out," Will hummed, opening his mouth when Hannibal brought a forkful of food to his lips, chewing happily. The older man never failed to make the most delicious food, causing Will to let out happy noises as he ate. Hannibal happily fed his love, sharing his slice of chocolate cake with the handsome man opposite him. Once the food was finished with, the older man pulled Will in for a slow, meaningful kiss. He sighed, enjoying the soft mixture of flavours on those supple lips. 

There was something in the way Hannibal kissed him, something that sent shivers through his slender body. It was so different and intimate in a way that Will had never felt before, emotions that Hannibal had never let him taste before. He could taste them now and, they burnt his tongue, his heart pounding, blood rushing through him. Will never wanted the burn to stop. He never wanted the new emotions that he was being fed to go away. He sighed softly when Hannibal pulled away, looking up at the man with his pink lips parted. The older man stood and extended his hand, pulling Will to his feet. 

A new song played overhead; one Will's ears weren't familiar to but, he sensed Hannibal's were. The older man pulled the profiler close, hands on his hips as Will's rested on the older man's chest, smiling up at him. They swayed slowly, Hannibal's hand moving to the small of the younger man's back. Another soft kiss was shared between them, lips parting to allow tongues to explore slowly. 

"May I be honest with you, mylimasis?" Hannibal whispered, looking into the pool of Will's blue eyes, watching emotions swim rapidly in them. 

"Of course," he blushed shyly. "What is it?"

"It is you," he hummed, "this evening is much more than an apology for my absence. Since I saw you, in the gallery, I knew I was in love with you. Someone like me is rarely able to feel so wholly for someone, in the way I feel about you," Hannibal paused, kissing the crown on chocolate curls.

Will swallowed thickly, nodding along to his words.

"I have come to learn things about myself during my time with you. Things I would have never learnt had I remained in Italy. You and Abigail have shown me things, revealed parts of me, I didn't know existed and, I thank you for that. When I was a boy, I never dreamt about having a family or being in love. Honestly, I had planned a life of solidarity after the passing of Mischa, now I couldn't possibly imagine being alone in that way. Every part of me, dark and light, loves you. You have shown me your darkness and, we have become one, brought closer together through your becoming,"

The younger man was crying now, the sweet words making his heart swell so largely he thought it might burst. What did he do to deserve this? Will hadn't done anything special recently.   
Hannibal was crying too, tears running slowly down his flushed cheeks, dripping down his chin. 

"During these last few months, I have been planning this for you. Please do not be upset with my lies, I wanted this to be a surprise, nothing less. You deserve the world and more, Will Graham, and I hope to give you that and more." The older man reached into his pocket as he gracefully dropped to one knee, biting his bottom lip to hold back a soft sob. 

Slowly, he opened the small velvet box, revealing a ring. It was silver and dainty, a small, blue diamond in the centre. It matched Will's eyes perfectly.   
"I was wondering if you would do the honour of being my husband, dear Will?" He asked through his tears, his auburn eyes trained on his lovers teary set. 

Will gasped, his hand covering his mouth as he looked down. The moment was in slow motion, Hannibal getting on his knee at a snail's pace. The profilers heart rabbited, a hot feeling flooded his stomach. For a few moments, the man was rendered speechless, only able to nod eagerly.  
"Y-Yes! God yes!...oh Hannibal.." Will sobbed softly, holding out a shaky hand for Hannibal to slip the ring onto. It fit perfectly, complimenting the profilers skin just like the older man had imagined. He pulled the older man back to his feet, locking their lips together in a messy celebration of their proposal. 

"I love you, mylimasis," Hannibal whispered, their foreheads pressed together, lips barely touching. The older man felt light-headed as if he were waking from an intense dream. He truly couldn't believe how lucky he way. Hannibal just hoped that Mischa was watching over him, wherever she was. 

Will smiled, cupping the man's cheeks, cool metal soothing his blush. "I love you too. You are the be-" he was cut off. The sound of the Opera house doors opening filled the room, turning his head to see who was there. Abigail had been dropped off by Alana, per the older man' request. She ran over to both men and gave them a happy hug, having missed them terribly all day. 

Abigail had grown slightly, her head now resting at Will's chest opposed to his stomach. She brushed the brown curls from her face as she took her Papas hand, tugging on the finger the ring was wrapped around. "What's this? It's pretty!" She observed, her inquisitive eyes dancing between both men. 

"Papa and Daddy are getting married, its a special ring that you get given when someone asks." Will chuckled, bending to kiss her forehead. 

The small girl was getting a little big to be picked up, but Hannibal still scooped her into his arms and rested him on her hips. She beamed, her teeth pearly and short as blush coated her cheeks, a happy sound leaving her. "Wow! Like Alana an' Margot?" 

"Yes, lamb, just like that." Hannibal smiled, holding his little family close in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was soft from beginning to end! Awful excited to write the next few <3


	15. Say I Do.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will has some familiar fears creep back up, the memory of his dead ex-fiancé plaguing him as he prepared for the wedding. They’re easily pushed aside when he remembered just how much Hannibal loved him. 
> 
> The happy day comes, and both men are overwhelmed with emotions. A honeymoon in Paris, for two weeks, seems like the perfect way to end a wedding.

It was quickly decided, between both men, that the wedding would be small. Neither of them had family past one another, and most of the friends in their lives they shared. A small, quaint wedding was all they needed, a declaration of love for a select group of people to bear witness to. 

Will was eager to invite Jack and the crew to the wedding, even allowing almost all of them to be part of the wedding party. Beverly, Alana and Jimmy were the only people Will imagine being his best men. The only people he would be comfortable with spending so much time with. Hannibal, on the other hand, only employed Jack Crawford. Jack was mature and well mannered, close to Hannibals age, and they shared some similar interests - perfect for small talk. 

Abigail would be the flower girl, and Hannibal would be head of catering. No more than fifty people would be there. The older man wished so deeply that they could fly back to Italy to get married, just them. He had fantasised about that even before asking Will to be his lawfully wedded husband. Getting married in a snow-covered field would have to do. 

\------

Will bit his lip, shakily adjusting his bow tie. This was the eighth suit he had tried on, discarding all of the ones previous. It had to be perfect, none of them felt perfect, all too tight and restricting or loose and unflattering. 

"Relax," Beverly chuckled, shaking her head as she poured him a glass of champagne. "Hannibal wouldn't care if you walked down the aisle in a plastic bag, Will. That suit looks great on you." A small chorus of noises, all in agreement with Beverly, filled the large changing room. 

"I know," he took the glass, relaxing as the alcohol ran down his throat. The younger man knew how much Hannibal loved him, how much the older man wanted this - all the same as Will. He just couldn't help himself, worrying was one of the things he did best. "It's just, I want this to be perfect. I got this close before and...and look what happened." He sunk into the large sofa where everyone else was seated, sighing deeply. It had been a while since he had even thought about his ex-fiancé, let alone mentioned her to anyone else, the fear he once felt was creeping back. 

Alana softened, setting down her glass with a soft sound. She had been there for Will when Molly had passed away, seeing him in that state hurt more than anything. "That isn't going to happen, you know that? Nothing is going to happen to Hannibal or you, we can assure that." Another chorus of agreement and soft looks. "You two are different." 

"Thank you," he chuckled, blinking away tears as he stood back up. He had to be strong there was no real reason to be so damn worried all the time. Alana and Beverly were right, Hannibal wouldn't care what his fiancé looked like; the most meaningful part was the bond they would be forging. "I don't like this jacket, but the pants and shirt are perfect...What do you think?" 

"Try jacket number three, Will, the one with the white silk lining." Jimmy chirped, standing to retrieve the jacket, handing it to the younger man with a smile. It  _ was _ perfect. It  _ looked _ perfect. Will  _ felt _ perfect. 

The jacket hugged him nicely without being restricting; it felt cool and comfortable against his skin, removing the itch that the other jackets gave him. This one was it, everyone knew it. Will hadn't even looked at the price tag, unbothered by how much the suit would cost - Hannibal had told him not to worry about it anyway. 

The rest of the day was spent deciding on flowers, table decorations and invite cards. When the group had first thought about it, it all seemed quite dull, but now they were together, it was more than enjoyable. 

Will almost felt as though this was all a dream; that one morning he would wake up, back in Wolftrap, lonely and struggling. He would wake up and, Hannibal would be back in Italy, unaware of Will's pathetic existence, enjoying his fruitful life. Sometimes, when it got bad, Will would have to pinch himself to remind him that this was real. Hannibal loved him and, they were really getting married. The young profiler really was going to have everything he had ever wanted, finally. No one would ever come between their little family, it would be a death wish to even try. 

\-----

Hannibal stood in front of the mirror in his dressing room, slowly buttoning up his waistcoat, smiling excitedly to himself. The week leading up to the 'big event' had gone painfully slow, driving the older man insane. Will had insisted on staying with Alana for the whole week; babbling on about how it was necessary for there to be some secrecy and surprise, but Hannibal missed him. The older man couldn't believe it; in less than an hour, there would be a Mr Will Lecter at his side. There wasn't much discussion about whom would take who's name, Will seemed to be pretty determined to take Hannibals. 

"It's time," Jack popped his head around the door, adjusting his corsage, sheepish smile pressed to his lips. Although the agent hadn't known Hannibal long, it was clear how much he loved Will - even if he was pulling his best profiler away for a two-week honeymoon. 

"Already?" Pulling on his jacket, Hannibal breached the threshold of the door, swallowing thickly. This was really it. The older man twiddled his engagement ring, chewing his bottom lip as he was led outside where everyone was sat. 

The flower decorated chairs created a walkway, the ground covered in a perfect layer of snow. It was simple yet gorgeous, just as Hannibal had envisioned it. Snow was still gracefully falling, bringing a smile to Hannibal's lips. Nature truly was a beautiful thing, and he felt blessed to be seeing Will, an elegant man, in the blanket of white. Hannibal stood under the rose and vine archway, back to everyone else, waiting patiently for his fiancé. 

His heart was racing, palms sweaty as he waited. It took a lot to make Hannibal nervous, yet here he was, feeling like a teenage boy awaiting his prom date. The pit of his stomach was heavy, fireworks exploding, sending shivers through his body. Hannibal almost lost his footing when he heard the music start up and the soft crunch of Abigail's feet in the snow. He swallowed, licking his suddenly dry lips, counting to ten before he would allow himself to turn. 

Abigail almost skipped down the aisle, throwing rose petals to create a floral path of pink and white for her father. The young girl felt like a princess, holding her cream dress from the ground as she hurried to sit next to Morgan, holding back an excited noise. Will would be there any second now. 

He had chosen Alana to give him away, unable to think of anyone better fitted for the job. Clinging to her arm, they made their way down the floral path, hearts racing. The young man couldn't keep his face free of a wide smile, eyes folded into crescent moons as he walked. Both men almost fell to their knees at the sight of one another, breath hitching in their throats. Will looked magnificent, long curls pushed back, some framing his blushing face in the most beautiful way possible. Alana kissed his cheek softly, wishing him a silent 'good luck', before heading to her seat. 

"Hello," Hannibal smiled, holding both of the young man's hands in his own. The world stopped around them, everyone disappearing into the background, focusing only on the heavenly creature before him. 

"Hello," he chuckled in response, looking up at the man through his cow lashes. Will could hardly breathe, throat tight, heart racing. He barely even heard the words the vicar was saying. Hannibal's hand on his face brought him back, nuzzling into the warm palm. 

With a soft smile, Hannibal slid the silver, engraved wedding band onto his fiancé's finger. The snow had fallen into the younger man's hair, wetting his hair to a point where his curls had become free, framing his face fully now. He chuckled, allowing a few tears to dampen his cheeks, bracing himself to say what he had been aching to say. 

"I do." 

Another exchange of silver metal, tears flooding down Will's cheeks. It was hard to hold back sobs, happiness taking over his body with loving violence. 

"I do." 

The kiss that was shared was otherworldly, knocking the breath from both men. Hannibal grabbed his waist, hand cupping the back of Will's head as he kissed him, bodies leaning slightly. This moment would be stored in Hannibal's mind palace for the rest of his life, a new room already built to store every second. 

If it were possible to fall even more in love with the younger man, he had done so at that moment. He and Will were bound together forever; bound in blood, crime and law. 

"Mm, Will Lecter," teased Hannibal as he pulled away, brushing their noses. It had a ring to it as if it had been Will's name his whole life. He stroked the man's cheek, brushing away happy tears as cheers of congratulations rung out all around them. 

"I have to make it clear, I am a married man." Will quipped in return. 

"Your husband is lucky," he replied with a smile, scooping Will into his arms. Hannibal carried his now-husband back down the aisle, laughing loudly as their guests followed. The hired photographer took this opportunity, snapping a few shots of the embrace and celebrating guests, freezing the moment for eternity. 

Will found himself blushing even further at Hannibal's speech, melting at his words and gaze. His younger self was congratulating him, glad they had finally gotten this far in life together. Will was happy, truly happy, gazing up at his husband with adoration. 

The older man happily fed Will cake, eager to tell the man all about the types of creams and jams used to make it, kissing white icing from pink lips. The party was full of loud music and even louder laughs, Hannibal and Will taking centre stage for their first dance. Will didn't even pay attention to the music coming from the band, too focused on swaying slowly with Hannibal, sharing soft kisses and smiles. 

\-------

"You're my everything," clothes hit the floor, strong arms pulling Will into the heart-shaped bed of their honeymoon suite. It was cheesy, but Hannibal didn't care. "I'm devoted to you, Will, I'd do anything for you." 

Will gasped softly, parting his thighs to welcome the kisses his husband was peppering onto his warm skin. "I-I love you, fool." He whispered back, pulling Hannibal in for a messy kiss, legs wrapped around him. Will rolled, straddling the older man with a happy noise. 

"Looking to consummate our marriage?" A smile spread onto the older man's lips, hands resting on Will's hips. 

"God!" He laughed, pulling his silk underwear off feverishly, grabbing the lube from the bedside table. Will had already slipped in a plug during the party portion of the evening, anticipating this. "Yes, I am, Mr Professional." 

Hannibal's fingers gripped at the plug, gently slipping it from Will's needy hole. Gently, he sunk Will down onto his cock, pulling him in for a slow kiss. The younger man moved leisurely, enjoying each slow thrust of Hannibal's hips, moaning softly into his mouth. There was no need to rush this, they had hours before they needed to catch their flight. 

Fingers interlocked, holding one another's hands tightly as Will sped up, head falling back. Hannibal admired him, lips parted to let small moans and phrases slip-free, letting his husband know just how much he was enjoying this. After a while, Hannibal flipped Will over, thrusting into him with rapid force. 

"O-Oh, Hannibal!" Will drawled, nails biting into the flesh of the man's back, nosing his face until their lips were pressed together. He held the older man as close as he could, moaning into the mess of silver hair as the thrusts became more intense. Will wouldn't be able to last much longer, pleasure coursing through him almost violently. He felt so close to the man, so overwhelmed with emotions and arousal that tears started to fall down his face, sobs filling the room. 

"Why...Why are you crying, mymilasis?" He asked through soft moans, cupping the younger man's face, kissing away salty tears eagerly. 

"J-Just feel...so fucking good. I love you so much..." Will sobbed out, leaning his head up to catch Hannibal's lips. He kissed him softly, pulling away as another loud moan was ripped out of him. He couldn't help letting out a breathy chuckle when he noticed Hannibal was crying too, smiling down at the brunette. 

The pair didn't last much longer, unable to hold back. Will orgasmed with a loud cry, toes curling, pulling the older man impossibly close, pushing him deeper with his legs. Hannibal only managed a few more sloppy thrusts after Will had peaked, burying himself deep in the man before coming. They held one another as they came down, fingers running through sweaty hair. 

\----

"I promised to show you all of Paris, Will," Hannibal reminded, buttoning up his shirt quickly, tucking it into his dark slacks. 

"It's not even six in the morning! Please get back into bed..." the young man whined, rolling onto his back to look at his husband. They hadn't even been in Paris a day and, Hannibal was demanding to show him around. How did Hannibal even know all these allegedly amazing places? It was like the man had been all over Europe. 

He smiled, gently pulling the sheets from the younger man's body, lifting him out of bed, standing him up. Hannibal wrapped an arm around his waist, brushing feral curls from that incredibly handsome face. "I wish to see the sunrise with you. Then, I will take us for breakfast; to make it up to you." How could Will even begin to say no to that? 

"Fine," he chuckled, lacing their ringed fingers together. "Give me five minutes, and I'll be ready." 

Hannibal nodded, pressing a soft kiss to the man's forehead. He released his husband, moving to grab his watch and hat. With a fond look, Hannibal gazed at his rings, twirling them on his fingers. 

This was it. This was all Hannibal had ever truly wanted; someone to forever call his own. Will was the angel that God had sent, to save Hannibal from his past. He was going to treasure this man, worship him for as long as they both shall live. 


	16. Epilogue.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end to this story - 
> 
> The Lecter family settling into their lives together, changing and progressing with one another. 
> 
> A happy ending, even for cannibalistic serial killers.

"Are you excited?" Hannibal hummed as he gently brushed the young girl's curls. Oh, how she looked like her father. 

Abigail chuckled a little, handing a blue ribbon to her dad. Of course she as nervous, it was her first day of high school and, although she knew most of the people she would be going with, she still felt slightly sick. The young girl was fourteen now, almost the same height as Will, curls just as thick and full; Hannibal sometimes struggled to wrap the soft satin around them. "Yes, Dad. I'm really excited, thank you for helping me get ready." She smiled, placing a small hand atop Hannibals shaky one, noticing he was just as nervous as she was.   
There was no doubt that Abigail had inherited her father's classic beauty, pale skin and rosy cheeks, freckles dancing across her sweet face. Those must have come from her mother. However, she had definitely taken on some of Hannibal's personality traits, along with his talent in the musical department.

The older man was proud, watching Abigail grow from a small girl into a teenager was a blessing, something stolen from him regarding Mischa. He tied the ribbon into a neat bow before resting his chin on the top of her head, sighing. "You're welcome, little mongoose." With a sigh, Hannibal moved away, picking up her schools blazer, handing it to her. Both men ensured that Abigail would be going to the best school possible; education was imperative, and the young girl had big dreams. 

She shook her head, unable to tell the old man not to call her that anymore, that she was far too old for silly nicknames; but Abigail couldn't. She'd never be able to tell him that no matter how old she got. She would very happily be his little mongoose forever, whatever that meant, her dad forever talked in riddles. 

\------

"Alright," the younger man laughed, adjusting the cellphone tripod, running back to the pair. "Just a few photos before the car comes for you, sweet pea." 

Soft laughter filled the living room, creating air in the room that buzzed with electricity. "Okay, Papa, but don't post them anywhere! Promise?" 

"I can't promise that. My little girl is starting high school." He clapped excitedly, grabbing the small Bluetooth remote, gathering his small family up. The shutter of his phone sounded, snapping a few photos of their happy family. Will would definitely be posting them onto Facebook later, maybe Instagram if Abigail didn't protest too strongly. "Ah, it looks like Morgan and the car are here," handing her the leather school bag, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head, he sent the girl on her way. Morgan and Abigail had maintained their friendship throughout the years, something Will was happy about; Morgan was a lovely boy. 

"Good luck, we love you!" Both men called as they waved Abigail off, watching her slip into the back seat, driving off to begin a whole new journey. 

\-----------

It had taken a lot of convincing but, around a year into their marriage, the younger man left the FBI. Jack had been pushing the profiler far too hard, sending him home in violent fevers, shaking and crying. The cases Will worked were ruthless, draining him of all the energy he had for weeks on end, reducing him to nothing but a shell of the man he was when he had started at the FBI. It hurt Hannibal to see his husband in that shape, sobbing into his chest almost every night. 

When Will got stabbed, that was Hannibal's final straw. The young man eventually came to terms with it all; the FBI was destroying him quickly. If nothing was done about it, Will's condition would only get worse. Hannibal had been there for him, holding his husband in his arms as he cried, soothing him until the tears went away. Jack was a selfish man, exploiting such a brilliant mind, uncaring of its consequences. No. Hannibal wouldn't have it if it were his choice, Jack would've been on the menu. 

The older man was determined to do whatever Will needed to feel better, even if he had to wait years to find out exactly what that was. After thinking for a long time, the younger man decided that starting up a dog hotel would be perfect for him. He would run it from their home, taking on only a few dogs at a time. Nothing too stressful, and he could remain n the safety of their home, happy to take on the role of 'housewife'. It felt good, knowing that he was forever safe, away from the stress and fever of the FBI and Jack Crawford. 

Hannibal was quick to call in builders to make an extension on the house, a place where the dogs could sleep comfortably throughout the night. The ex-profiler protested, whining about how much it would cost and about how Hannibal 'didn't have to go through all that effort', but Hannibal wouldn't have any of it. Seeing this gorgeous, brilliant man flourish was all he wanted. He only ever wanted Will to be happy and in his best state of mind and if that meant having several dogs in the house at a time, so be it. 

\-------------

Even with the older man's patient schedule, Will's doggie hotel, and Abigail's extracurricular activities, the men still managed to leave gifts for Jack and his team. The younger man had fully blossomed into the beautiful beast Hannibal knew he was, ravishing in the spectacular that was their murders. No one would ever know that they, conjoined with one another, were the Chesapeake Ripper, singlehandedly tormenting the FBI. Ridding the world of rude and insufferable people was a two-man job, and Hannibal couldn't imagine a better partner than his loving Will Lecter. 

Will was glorious, as beautiful as the day they had met, ever-growing, making Hannibal fall deeper in love each day he woke up to the man. The younger man held so much power, knowing things about his husband that no one else was privileged enough to know. Even with Hannibal in his 50's, Will in his 40's, they still showed one another the love teenage sweethearts might do. Their love for one another was immeasurable, hard to put into words on most days, overwhelming someone as poised as Hannibal, clearing a mind as busy as the brunettes. 

\------------

"I love you, mymilasis." Hannibal smiled, grinding up one of their most recent victims heart. How fitting that this man, so full of pride and arrogance, would be ground into dog food. This was one of Hannibal's favourite activities, helping his husband make food for his hotel guests, spending hours in the kitchen together sharing wine and soft kisses. Abigails soft piano playing floating through the air from the living room, providing them with the most beautiful ambience. 

"I love you too, sugar." Setting his knife down, leaning over to give the older man a sweet kiss, eyes fluttering closed. Will sighed softly into those soft, parted lips, licking at them before pulling away. His bright, loving eyes trained on the honey set, colours melting and blurring together, sucking the younger man in. Hannibal's hair had greyed more and was slightly shorter, but Will loved it, still long enough for him to tug on in their most intimate moments. 

The older man hummed, wiping his hands off before wrapping them around his husband, pulling him in. Affection never came as easily as it did with Will. Holding him close as they danced to the sweet melody of Abigail's piano, Will's head nestled under the older man's chin. 

They spent many evenings like that, dancing, cooking, enjoying one another's body, worshipping each other. Other nights, they spent curled up by the fire with Abigail, watching some ridiculous show the teen insisted on sharing with her fathers. As often as they could, they would get dressed up for evenings at the opera, or dinners out if Hannibal found somewhere up to his standards. Life was perfect, murder and love mixing together in a maddening swirl, binding their little family together forever.   
Neither men could've asked for anything more perfect than the life that Baltimore blessed them with.


End file.
